By Yemisi Izuora/Joseph Bakare
The inspection team of the Weights and Measures department has begun the enforcement of the metrology law at petroleum dispensing outlets in Abuja.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa led the team on Saturday.
During the inspection at the Mobil filling station, Lugbe, Airport Road, it was discovered that the dispensing pumps at the station short-changed customers from their two operational dispensing pumps by 2 litres 69 mls for every 20 litres of PMS (17.31 as 20 litres) while other dispensing pumps dispensed 18.66 litres for every 20 litres.
Other filing stations inspected by the team were NNPC Sabon Lugbe, NNPC, Durumi, Area 1, Total Filing station, Herbert Macaulay way, Forte Oil Olusegun Obasanjo Way, and Total filing station, Wuse zone 6. NNPC filing station Sabon Lugbe one pump was sealed for re-caliberation and others were within tolerance level stipulated by law.
Abdulkadir reiterated that government was committed to enforcement of legal metrology laws in all sector of the economy warning of serious consequences for those cheating customers because they are desperate to get fuel.
He added that, it was not only in the oil sector that Nigerians feel the impact of the department but also in the operation of the Automated Payment Machine (ATM) in the banking sector and telecommunication as well as correct measurement in the market.
Whatever we are doing now is to send messages to those defaulters that we are now standing on our feet and we are now going to be effective in regulating weights and measurements act in the oil and gas sector.
“I assure you that what happened in the past will no longer be because now, Nigerians know what we can do.
“We had synergize with the oil major and stakeholders in the sector and they are well informed of our statutory responsibilities of ensuring that trade is fair, correct and transparent he added.
Director Weights and Measures, Mr. Adeyinka Sikuade, said that it was extremely disappointing that motorists were being short-changed in the filing stations.
He said that the department would continue to embark on such exercise
throughout the federation in order to establish that marketers conform with fairness and standards.
He said that maximum permissible error allowed at dispensing pumps is 60 mls, adding that the departments in collaboration with stakeholders were working on the portion of the act on penalty that will deter erring stations from cheating.
On penalty for defaulters now, we still have stronger area that prevents such erring stations from operating by sealing them or removing their nozzles and ensuring that they cannot conduct any business from such pumps until it is corrected Sikuade stressed.