By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
The National Consumer Protection Commission and the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority have launched joint inspections of fuel stations in Bo City following repeated complaints of under-dispensing by consumers.
The monitoring exercise is part of a nationwide campaign to test the accuracy of fuel pumps and respond to concerns raised by motorists, particularly commercial bike riders and drivers, who allege they are not receiving the full quantity paid for.
NCPC Regional Coordinator Madam Amelia Sandy said the inspections have already been carried out in Freetown and Bo, with similar exercises planned for Makeni, Kenema, and other major towns.
As part of the process, both institutions used calibrated jerrycans to verify pump measurements. According to Madam Sandy, early findings support consumer claims of inaccurate dispensing.
“The stations are not dispensing the actual litre,” she stated, noting that the results have confirmed complaints received from the public.
She added that with government currently subsidizing petrol prices to ease the cost burden on citizens, it is unacceptable for dealers to short-change consumers.
Civil Society Regional Convener Mustapha Kpaka also confirmed the malpractice, citing instances where customers received as little as 4.5 litres instead of five.
Mr. Kpaka described the intervention by the NCPC and NPRA as overdue, and pledged that civil society will continue to monitor the process to ensure violators are held accountable and consumer rights are protected.
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