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NMDPRA takes action on filling stations under-dispensing petrol
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has taken action on filling stations under-dispensing petrol to customers and motorists.
The body in a notice issued on Tuesday, directed all retail outlet operators to commence immediate calibration and verification of their dispensers and totalisers.
The directive according to the notice, is to ensure consumers get the full quantity of petroleum products they pay for.
The authority which described the practice of under-dispensing as a serious breach of consumer trust, said it had observed incidents of it nationwide at retail outlets.
It warned that it would be required to take immediate corrective action on outlets compromising dispensing accuracy, noting that persistent or serious violations would attract sanctions “up to and including revocation of the outlet’s licence.”
The warning has placed operators across the country under pressure to check and adjust their dispensing equipment as the body intensifies crackdown on outlets.
Filling stations have been sealed in the past for short-measuring customers, with NMDPRA warning that persistent offenders risk losing their operating licences.
While the illegal practice had sometimes been blamed on pump attendants in connivance with outlet managements, or on faulty fuel pumps, marketers said they were committed to ensuring customers get the right value for their money from fuel retailers.
In response to the directive by NMDPRA, the spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, said NMDPRA notice had been circulated to its members nationwide.
“I’m aware of the NMDPRA notice. We have also distributed the information to our members nationwide, drawing their attention to the NMDPRA notice.
“But I still want to let you know that we are in a very competitive environment. What drives the market is: one, quality of the product; two, price of the product; three, quantity of the product.
“These are the things that drive this kind of market now. We are in a deregulated economy. And what drives your market is your ability to convince your customers and sustain your customers.
“You have seen the innovations that we have done in all our businesses nationwide. We are ready for this deregulation and this competition. So nobody will indulge in underselling or cheating customers,” Ukadike stated.
“But sometimes you cannot rule out some sharp practices from some of our pump attendants, which is why we are trying to go nationwide now, to see how we can reorientate them, to be steadfast and truthful to customers,” he added.
He said the union would not permit a practice where customers are cheated at the pump, stressing that the body was closely monitoring its members.
“I don’t know if there is any reason that could prompt a manager to adjust the pump below the normal value. But this is an announcement by NMDPRA. We have set out our eyes to ensure that such a thing does not happen.
“And if there are sharp practices, we are ready to curtail them. So, some pump attendants adjusting prices and engaging in sharp practices may not be ruled out. But we are ready to ensure no customer is cheated at the pumps.
“Don’t quote me incorrectly. I say you cannot rule out sharp practices from a few individuals like some attendants. For us, the independent marketers, we want to build our brand, and the three cardinal points of building our brand are low pricing, quality, and service,” he said.
