The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has, as part of its routine exercises, apprehended some petrol stations tampering with their fuel pumps in the western region.
The exercise, which is being conducted by the Consumer Services Department at the headquarters and the Western Regional Office of the NPA, came in the wake of frequent complaints about some stations modifying their pumps to cheat their customers to maximize profit.
This necessitated unannounced visits to selected gas stations to check the accuracy of their pumping to oil consumers.
At the end of the exercise, the team found some stations guilty and consequently closed them as they await further punitive measures to be imposed on them by the NPA.
The Head of Consumer Services at the NPA, Mrs Eunice Budu Nyarko, said in an interview that it was an offense for fuel stations to pump fuel for sale to customers below the required litre.
The team later organized a sensitization program for oil consumers in the region. Mrs Budu Nyarko told traders and commercial drivers to live up to their civic responsibilities and immediately report petrol stations they suspect are modifying their pumps to defraud customers.
They were provided with 24/7 hotlines to lodge their complaints. She said "when complaints are made within 48 hours of fuel purchase, a quick investigation can be carried out and the truth can be established before the product is sold out".
It further advised the public to "buy fuel from operational petrol stations as these stations are often monitored by the NPA and thus the quality of their products can be guaranteed".
The team also sensitized students of the Takoradi University of Technology, traders at Takoradi, Jubilee Park and No.9 Markets and commercial drivers at the market on how to use LPG safely.
The NPA team highlighted the Authority's activities, including its mandate and accountability to the consumer public.
Cindy Andoh-Davies, NPA Western Regional Office Manager, urged consumers to follow safety protocols and avoid accidents.
The Department of Consumer Services regularly visits the regions to sensitize consumers about their rights and ways to send their complaints for prompt redressal by the authority.
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