The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Eket Field Office has sealed-off a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) filling station in Uyo for discharging petroleum product and dispensing product to motorists at the same time. Operations Controller of DPR in Akwa Ibom, Tamunoiminabo Kinsgley-Sundaye disclosed this yesterday while on routine surveillance in Uyo.
He said it was surprising an NNPC filling station could commit such offense and unsafe act, noting that filling stations must end discharging products before selling products to members of the public.He stressed that it was an offence for filling stations to discharge and dispense petrol and other products at the same time.
“NNPC filling station was caught discharging and dispensing to members of the public at the same time and the place was crowded with vehicles and buyers, which is a serious offense. “That is why operators have to cordon off their stations to discharge. We want to see minimum people who are really concerned with discharge operations, but surprisingly NNPC does not know simple safety requirements.
“We have asked the manager of the station if he knows that it was unsafe to discharge fuel and dispense at the same time, but he said he was not aware. “That means NNPC as a retail outlet did not train its staff. They will be referred to appropriate trainers who will train the staff and the manager to know the requirements to run filling stations in a safe manner as required by safety standards and regulations,” he said.
Responding, Manager of the station, Augustine Effiong, confessed that he was not aware that it was unsafe to discharge and dispense simultaneously, adding however, that he was taught to discharge in the mornings and evenings, but not in the afternoons.“We were told to discharge in the morning hours provided is not the dispensing line we are discharging to,” he said.
