FIVE FILLING STATIONS SEALED IN KATSINA FOR SHORTCHANGING CUSTOMERS

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The Katsina State Branch of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), on Thursday, sealed five petroleum stations in the North-West state for safety violations and under-dispensing fuel.

The routine operation led by the State Controller, Umar Muhammad, was aimed at ensuring compliance with industry standards and protecting consumers’ rights.

Our correspondent gathered that the routine enforcement exercise focused on petrol stations whose operational licenses are expired and failed to renew the licenses as mandated by regulatory authorities.

Most of the affected filling stations were also sealed for their involvement in under-dispensing of fuel, short-changing customers by delivering less than the standard litre, and for lack of safety equipment including fire extinguishers and other essential tools.

The five petroleum stations affected include Total Petrol Station, A.A. Rano, Ashafa Petrol, Maje Gas and Gwagware International Petroleum Ltd.

The authority warned filling stations against diverting petroleum products allocated to them, stating that any filling station found culpable would be dealt with, in line with the laid-down rules.

Muhammad restated the authority’s commitment to maintain safety and transparency in the downstream petroleum sector, emphasising that similar operations would be carried out across the state to uphold regulatory standards and safeguard consumer interests.

“We will condone any act which is not in line with the rules and guidelines governing operations of filling stations in the state,” he added.