FG declares war on under dispensing in filling stations

The Federal Government has begun a clamp down on the use of faulty and altered dispensing, weighing equipment by some filling stations in order to cheat their customers.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, announced this in Port Harcourt at a two-day sensitisation workshop with stakeholders in the downstream oil and gas industry.

Adeniyi, represented by Gbolahan Adamoh, Head of Oil and Gas, Department of Weight and Measures (WM), in the ministry said that government was aware of such illicit trade by some service providers.

The minister said that Weights and Measure department is the lead Federal Government agency mandated to enforce accurate use of weighing and measuring equipment for trade in the country.

According to him, the department has discovered that many businesses, such as filling stations, recalibrate their metres and equipment to cheat the buying public.

“So, we decided to meet with critical stakeholders in the downstream oil and gas sector and engage them to maintain accurate measurement of their metres while serving their customers.

“We want customers to get full value for their money especially during this COVID-19 pandemic that has affected the economy of the country and made things difficult for Nigerians.

“We want a litre of fuel to be a litre, and kilogramme of whatever grain to be a kilogramme, so that Nigerians can get their monies worth,” he said.

“We appeal to filling station operators and other business owners to visit our offices for verification and proper certification of their equipment for use for trade.

“The department is committed to protecting both the producers and consumers through fair and balanced trade transaction.”

The minister said that severe sanction was awaiting any business operator found to be using faulty and recalibrated equipment to defraud Nigerians.

He said that such individuals would have their filling stations and businesses sealed-off and made to pay huge sums of money as well as face jail term.