Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, says it has begun a nationwide inspection of filling stations, to checkmate the issue of under-dispensing of products to unsuspecting Nigerians.
The Weights and Measures Department of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, disclosed this in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, during the inspection of filling stations in the state, which lead to the sealing of five filling stations in the state for under-dispensing of products.
Assistant Director, Weights and Measures Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Ejiofor, explained that the exercise was aimed at checking the exploitation of members of the public, as parts of efforts to correct irregularities in quantity of products sold to customers.
Ejiofor, who lead the inspection team stated that the surveillance exercise was to create awareness among Nigerians, just like the Department of Petroleum Resources, which inspects for licensing and adulteration of products.
After inspection of few filling stations including NNPC mega statin in Yenagoa , the team sealed five pumps in two filling stations, including Total filling station.
“At Astom filling stations in Opolo, Isaac-Boro expressway, we sealed three pumps, while at Total filling Stations along Palm express Road, two pumps were also sealed until they complied with the Weights and Measures Act.
“One, they do not have Certificate of Verification; two, their meters are under despensing. They do not meet the requirements and for that, the pumps are rejected until they complied.
“We have also inspected the NNPC mega station at Berger junction, the eight pumps at the station are dispensing accurately.”
Ejiofor also said the department has the mandate to look for accuracy in the quantity of products dispensed or sold to buyers, adding that the inspection team was only concerned with weights and measures facility, which include fuel pumps.
“The Weights and Measures Act is not only about oil and gas but as well as for non-oil and gas products
“We inspect rice, soft drinks, all foods and beverage sector as well as cement, to ensure that the quantity packaged does not short-change buyers or customers of these products,” the Weights and Measures Department said.
