Uganda fuel quality compliance

The remarks were made by the Assistant Commissioner in the Petroleum Supply Department at MEMD, John Friday, during the routine Fuel Marking and Quality Monitoring program (FMQMP) sensitisation drives in the Western districts of Uganda, namely: Kasanda, Mityana, Mubende, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Fortportal and Bundibugyo.

“Compliance has improved. We are now operating at 99.3% compliance for the fuel on the market. The few areas reported for adulteration usually mix petroleum products with paraffin, however, we hold them accountable in line with penalties enshrined in the Petroleum Supply Act,” said Friday.

According to the field supervisor of the Fuel Marking and Quality monitoring program, who also doubles as a Principal Analyst at UNBS Petroleum laboratories, Peter Kitimbo, there are 4,877 registered fuel stations and that less than 1% of these are non-compliant and are dealt with according to the law.

“The law empowers us to seal off a non-compliant fuel station of a first-time offender, and charge them a penalty amounting to 10% of the amount got after multiplying the volumes of fuel found in the tank by the pump price, at the time of the seal off. For a second-time offender, you are penalised as mentioned and also receive a warning from the Commissioner in charge of Petroleum Supply at MEMD, For a third time offender, the license is revoked and a fourth time offender is discharged from business,” Kitimbo explained.

He thus called upon all fuel stations in the country to comply with the standards and seek registration with MEMD. He also urged motorists to purchase fuel from registered fuel stations, whose fuel pumps bear UNBS stickers, to ensure consumption of good quality and quantity of fuel products.

“We regulate quality and quantity of petroleum products at registered fuel stations and we urge the public to avoid buying petroleum products sold in bottles and jerrycans because we do not know the quality of such products,” said Kitimbo.

He further asserted that fuel MUST be sold in regulated places and urged local authorities to ensure that residents stop selling fuel in bottles and jerrycans. The Fuel Marking and Quality Monitoring Program, implemented by government through MEMD and UNBS, is designed to control and monitor the quality of petroleum products in the entire supply chain in Uganda.