Fuel laced with water: Rainwater entered underground super tank after downpour – NPA

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has explained that the fuel mixed with water at the Shell Filling station at Atimpoku, Akosombo in the Eastern Region was as a result of a downpour in the area .

It explained that rain water entered the underground Super tank of the filling station after heavy rains

On Monday, August 29, 2022, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) shut down one Shell Filling station at Atimpoku for selling petrol mixed with water.

This was after a video of a victim circulated on social media, after he bought the fuel and could not move his car.

In the video, one of the victims said after filling his tank, his vehicle could no longer move because the fuel was substandard.

He also made it known that he was not the only victim at the time he bought the fuel, calling out the shell filling station over the issue.

Reacting to this, the NPA in a statement said, “The National Petroleum Authoritv (NPA) has shut down the operations of the Shell Filling station at Adomi Bridge (Atimpoku) in the Eastern Region for selling water-laced petroleum product to unsuspecting customers.”

It added that, Following a widely circulated video on social media and subsequent complaint made to the Authority on 29th August, 2022 about a suspected contaminated fuel purchased at the aforementioned retail outlet, a team from the Eastern Regional office of NPA was immediately dispatched to ascertain the veracity of the report.”

According to the NPA, the team immediately undertook a water content presence test and a dip into the well of the outlet indicated the presence of water.

It explained further that Management of Vivo Energy in a letter addressed to the Authority posited there was water ingress into the underground Super tank after a heavy downpour in the area which was corroborated by the investigative team sent by the Authority.

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Meanwhile, NPA said a sample has been sent to the head office laboratory for further investigations with other segments going for forensic audit at the Ghana Standards Authority.

“We wish to assure all impacted customers whilst investigations are still ongoing that, the NPA’s remedial action would be for the station to fix the affected vehicles and compensate the customers,” NPA assured.

It pleaded that, ” While we applaud the gesture of the customer who filmed the incident and shared on social media, we will encourage consumers of petroleum products to immediately call the NPA hotlines 0545006111/0545006112 or file the complaint on the NPA website: www.npa.gov.gh immediately a suspected adulterated product has been purchased.”

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NPA added that, “The customer should report within 48hours: any delay after 48 hours risks the loss of evidence. The petroleum product in question could have been sold out or co-mingled with fresh like product.”