The National
Petroleum Authority (NPA) has shut down two petroleum filling stations in the
Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. This follows overwhelming complaints from
customers that the gas and petrol filling stations were under-delivering value
to consumers, thereby shortchanging them.
Last Friday’s shutdown brought to four the number of stations the NPA, which
regulates the downstream petroleum sector, had shut down this year.
The two other shutdowns took place in Accra and Sunyani, the Bono Regional
capital.
The Head of Consumer Services at the NPA, Eunice Budu Nyarko, acting upon
directives from the NPA management, ordered the lock-up last Friday following
verification by inspectors, who confirmed the complaints from fuel customers.
“Acting on these complaints, the NPA embarked on a surprise visit to some of
the stations last Friday to ascertain the genuineness of frequent complaints,
and the NPA team realized that some of the fuel stations had readjusted their
pumps to cheat customers,” she said.
Investigations
She told the Daily Graphic that the complaints would be investigated and the
appropriate sanctions applied.
Mrs Nyarko explained that the stations would not be opened until after
investigations, and that should they return to operation, they would become
subjects of surveillance, meaning NPA inspectors could move in at any time to
verify their calibrations.
After the shutdown, she took the opportunity to educate some traders and
commercial drivers on their right to complain to the authority any suspected
irregularities in the petroleum downstream for it to investigate within 48
hours.
Mrs Nyarko said the NPA was committed to its responsibilities of checking and
controlling malpractice that resulted in the loss of revenue and the secondary
effect of interference with product quality.
Report suspected issues
“Those of us who use the product and realise that we do not get value for money
should not be apathetic but live up to our civic responsibility of immediately
reporting fuel stations you visited and suspect them of adjusting their pumps
to cheat your customers to the regulator,” she urged.
“The NPA will always protect the interest of stakeholders, consumers, and
petroleum service providers,” she said.
She left the authority’s hotlines with the customers and said they could lodge
complaints throughout the day.
Report within 48-hours
“Let me assure you again that when complaints are made within 48 hours of the
purchase of fuel, prompt investigations are carried out and the truth
established before that product is sold out,” she said.
“Consumers must report within 48 hours. If we delay, we may risk the loss of
evidence; consumers should report and then we act immediately,” Mrs Nyarko said.
She further advised the public to buy fuel from functional filling stations,
since those stations were frequently monitored by the NPA and so the quality of
their products could be guaranteed.
Safety protocols
An official of the Western Regional NPA Office, Cindy Andoh-Davies, entreated
consumers to adhere to safety protocols to prevent explosions.
The NPA team also engaged students of the Takoradi Technical University, users
of petroleum products in and around the Takoradi Central Market, the Jubilee
Park and Anaji No.9 Market, as well as commercial establishments that use
petroleum products, especially liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), to sensitize them.
Consumers who spoke with the Daily Graphic commended the NPA for acting at a
critical moment when fuel prices were continually going up.
“Sometimes we buy fuel but within a short time it gets finished and we always
wonder if the product is running faster than the price itself,” one driver,
Kwabena Inkoom, lamented.
Source: graphic.com.gh