The Public Utility Regulation Authority (PURA) has faulted JAH OIL Company regarding its construction and operation of petrol stations in the country, thus fined the country an amount close to one million dalasi (D925, 000.00).
The Authority in a dispatch issued over the weekend informed the public that they fined JAH OIL for illegally constructing and operating petrol stations after their monitoring exercises and following directives from them relating to the unsuitability of the identified sites as per the current regulations.
The Authority said it has on numerous instances explained the legal requirements to obtain valid construction permits before the commencement of new or major modifications to stations as per the Petroleum Products Act, 2016 and Service Station Regulations, 2018.
These legal statutes detail the relevant safety and site location criteria required to guide the approval of any new developments, it said.
“The Authority is satisfied that following numerous correspondences and investigations on this matter, Jah Oil Company Limited despite operating in a regulated sector deliberately and recklessly violated applicable laws by failing to comply with the legal requirements of obtaining a Construction Permit and refusing to comply with the Authority’s directives,” PURA stated.
“Having weighed in the totality of facts surrounding this issue and for want of sanity and compliance in the regulated sector, the Authority determines the following against Jah Oil Company as follows: –
1. To pay a fine of GMD D200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dalasi) for deliberately constructing a petrol station in Wellingara without the required permit from the Authority.
2. To pay a fine of GMD D200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dalasi) for deliberately constructing a petrol station on Kairaba Avenue without the required permit from the Authority.
3. To pay a fine of GMD D500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Dalasi) for deliberately failing to comply with the Authority’s Directive pertaining to Badala Basse and a further sum of D25,000.00 (Twenty-five Thousand Dalasis after the expiration of this notice for as long as this contravention persists.
4. JAH OIL is further directed to stop all illegal construction in Wellingara and Kairaba Avenue forthwith and comply with the requirements of the Petroleum Products Service Stations Regulations 2018.”
PURA said the fine shall become due and payable within fourteen days from the date of receiving this notice from the Authority as provided for in Section 15 (2) of the Enforcement Regulations 2010.
“Failure to comply shall result in the commencement of criminal prosecution against JAH OIL. For more information and clarification regarding siting and safety of petrol stations, the general public can call PURA’s 148 toll-free hotline,” PURA stated.
