The Executive Director of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers of Ghana (COPEC), Duncan Amoah, has called for strict punishment to be meted out to fuel stations found to have adjusted their fuel pumps in a bid to cheat customers.
Mr Amoah has asked for punishment that will be detrimental enough to the stations to deter others from committing similar offences.
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Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, the COPEC boss said it was about time all companies involved in such illegal activities are named and shamed.
“These stations must be dealt with the best way we can. It should not just be about charging them; we must be able to go further and shut them down if possible,” he urged.
“They must be made to pay for the crime they have committed because I am convinced by this exposure that they contribute to the increased fuel prices,” he stated.
The Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) exposed Goil, Shell and Frimps Oil to be involved in massive fuel cheating at some fuel stations within the Greater Accra Region.
According to the GSA’s report, the inspection team visited about 65 fuel stations within the Greater Accra Region out of which 10 fuel stations were discovered to have adjusted their pumps to serve their customers less than what they have paid for.
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The report indicates Frimps Oil has adjusted all the seven out of eight of their pumps inspected at Tettegu Junction and Spintex Road respectively, while the motorway extension of Shell has three out of their four pumps inspected adjusted to the disadvantage of their customers.
The trusted state-oil marketing company, GOIL was also caught in the web of OMCs cheating their customers with all 13 pumps at the Mile 11 in Accra and Kasoa Galilea adjusted to the disadvantage of their loyal customers.
Below is a full copy of the statement issued by the GSA
GHANA STANDARDS AUTHORITY
PRESS RELEASE
The Ghana Standards Authority as part of its mandate to enforce the provisions of the Weights and Measures Act 1975, NRCD 326, has been inspecting fuel measuring and dispensing instruments in parts of the country after the first phase of the GSA routine national fuel measuring devices verification exercise.
Inspectors from the Metrology Directorate carried out unannounced inspections of fuel pumps in randomly selected fuel stationsin the Greater Accra, Central and Eastern Regions.
The exercise was to mainly ensure the following:
- To verify the accuracy of fuel dispensing pumps used by fuel dealers.
- To inspect and record if the fuel stations have the 10 L visugauges
- To inspect and ensure that GSA plastic seals on dispensing pumps are not tempered with
- To lock the nozzles of dispensing pumps that are under-delivering
- To issue out notices of failure if the pumps failed the test for a penalty
The number of stations visited are Shell (11), Total (15), GOIL (12), Fraga Oil (1), Lucky Oil (1), Engen (1), Frimps (2), Petrosol (3), Top Oil(2), Star oil (2), Goodness
(1), Semanhyia (1), Galaxy Oil ( (1), Nick Petroleum (2), Agapet (1), Puma (2), Glory Oil (1), Allied (1), Radiances (1), EVl (1), Power Fuel (1), Universal (1), Compass
Oleum (1)
The following ten (10) stations were found to be under-delivering: Shell, Motorway Extension; Total, McCarthyHill;GOIL Mile 11; Frimps Oil, Tetegu junction; GOIL, Galilea; Frimps Oil, Spintex Road; Glory Oil, Spintex Road; Allied Oil, Sakaman; Shell, Amanfrom West and Goodness Energy, Kasoa.In addition, 2 companies Galaxy Oil, Spintex Road and Agapet, Spintex Road had broken the GSA seal without permission.
In summary, out of 65 stations visited, 55 delivered right quantities whilst 10 under-delivered.
Two companies had broken the GSA seal without permission.
The Ghana Standards Authority wishes to assure the public that it will continue to execute its legal mandate to protect consumers and promote trade by collaborating
with the National Petroleum Authority and other statutory bodies as well as with the Oil Marketing Companies in the interest of consumers and the nation. The GSA counts
on the support and collaboration of the general public and all stakeholders in this national exercise.
For further information, contact the Director of Corporate Communication, Ghana Standards Authority.
Ghana Standards Authority, P. O. BOX MB 245, Accra Visiting address: Okponglo, off Accra-Legon road, Shiashie, Accra, Ghana
Tel: Office: +233 (0) 302 501493, 0302 500065/6/7
Source: Adomonline.com/Gertrude Otchere