The Weights and Measures Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has cautioned petrol stations in Bayelsa against indulging in illegal pump adjustments.
A team of inspectors from the department issued the warning during their surveillance and inspection of fuel service stations in Yenagoa, including Astom Control, Total and NNPC mega station.
Mr Okechukwu Ejiofor, Assistant Director in the department said shortly after the inspection that the department was determined to protect the public against exploitation.
He said that the department would not allow the public to be shortchanged by service stations.
“All measuring devices used to dispense petroleum products must not fall below the specified ranges,” Ejiofor said.
He said that the surveillance was basically for awareness creation.
According to him, the department’s job was different from that of the Department of Petroleum Resources, which he said was to check adulteration in the oil and gas sector.
He said: “The department has the mandate to look for accuracy in the quantity of products dispensed or sold to buyers.
“At Astom filling stations in Opolo, Isaac-Boro Expressway, we sealed three pumps, while at Total Filling Stations on Palm Road, two pumps were also sealed.”
He said the petrol stations did not have Certificate of Verification and were under-dispensing products to members of the public.
“Their pumps do not meet the requirements, the pumps have been rejected and will remain so until they comply,” he said.
The team leader said that all pumps at the NNPC mega station at Berger Junction had all eight pumps dispensing accurately.
“The activities of Weights and Measures are not limited to oil and gas, our searchlight is also on non-oil and gas products.
“We inspect rice, soft drinks, foods and beverage as well as cement,” he said, adding that the essence was to ensure that buyers were not shortchanged.
Mr Uchendu Ukachi, Supervisor at NNPC station commended the department for its move towards ensuring that customers got the correct quantity of products for their money.
“I urge my colleagues in the oil and gas business to desist from illegal pump adjustments and support the efforts of the department,” Ukachi said.
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