The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has sealed up two filling stations namely MRS filling station at CFC and Stageoil filling on Aba Road following discrepancies discovered in their process of dispensing fuel.
The Authority Chief Executive, Mallam Rabiu Umar represented by the Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community of NMDPRA, Dr Mustapha Lamorde who led the exercise said the goal of the Authority is to ensure that consumers of petroleum products get best quality and good returns for services.
The NMDPRA monitoring team moved from Azikiwe road, through Garrison to CFC and Trans- Amadi Industrial Layout, carrying out its routine surveillance on quality and quantity control on some filling stations in Port Harcourt.
During the field test exercise, which involved taking samples to check quantity, quality and safety procedure being conducted in the retail outlet, most filling stations visited passed the test where one of the filling stations was discovered to be over dispensing.
However, two filling stations namely MRS at CFC and Stageoil on Aba Road failed the test and were immediately sealed up, reacting to this, the Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community of NMDPRA, Dr Mustapha Lamorde stressed that the Authority will not allow consumers to be short changed.
Dr Lamorde also explained that plans have already been concluded by the Authority to digitize its laboratories across the country, as it signed an MOU with Bureau Veritas to strengthen its capacity in field analyst, methods, standardize SOPs and benchmark itself with international best practices.
Responding during the signing, the Managing Director of Bureau Veritas, Daniel Wilbert said he was elated to be partnering NMDPRA and gave an assurance that they would give their best to ensure positive results.
The sanctioned filling stations are expected to visit the state office of NMDPRA, correct all infractions discovered before they will be allowed to resume business.
