The National Petroleum Authority, (NPA), has locked 13 nozzles belonging to three filling stations for under delivery in the Bono Region.
The stations are Frimps at Penkwase, Eusbett Goil and Engen in Sunyani.
In a joint exercise undertaken by the Bono Regional Office and the Consumer Services and Security and Intelligence directorate of the NPA yesterday, it observed during a visit to these filling stations that some of the nozzles were over delivering, hence drew the attention of its managers.
At the Frimps Station, it observed that all seven functioning nozzles were underdelivering while two and four nozzles of Goil and Engen filling stations were locked respectively.
The team, led by Mr Kwadwo Odarno Appiah and Mrs Eunice Budu Nyarko, Bono Regional Manager and Consumer Services Manager respectively also observed that one of the nozzles had a wrong colour code.
This followed a sensitisation programme organised by the team for commercial drivers and traders at the Nana Bosoma market in the Sunyani municipal area of the Bono Region.
The commercial drivers and traders were sensitised on the activities of the NPA including its mandate, objects and responsibilities to the consuming public, hazards involved in the handling and usage of petroleum products, rights and responsibilities of consumers and best practices for operators of retail outlets in the industry, among others.
Mr Appiah encouraged consumers to desist from patronising fuels from table top sellers because their business was illegal and quality could not be guaranteed, adding that their continuous operation posed serious threat to public health and safety.
He assured consumers in the region that petroleum products being sold at the various fuel stations are of good quality, hence advised them to purchase at the fuel stations instead of from table top sellers.
Additionally, he emphasised that the authority would continuously monitor the operations of fuel stations to ensure consumers had value for money and products sold are of good quality.
According to Mr Appiah, defaulting fuel stations would be sanctioned, adding that the NPA would require a report on investigations carried out by the stations as to what caused the anomalies of the nozzles.
He further cautioned fuel stations to desist from the practice of using ramps and shaking of vehicles during filling adding that “it is an unsafe practice which can cause unwarranted sparks and fire”.
The NPA, Mr Appiah hinted, would not hesitate to lock temporarily stations caught using ramps.
BY TIMES REPORTER
