Watch: INNOQ closes six pumps in two filling stations on Julius Nyerere, Maputo

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Watch: INNOQ closes six pumps in two filling stations on Julius Nyerere, Maputo

7:19 CAT | 11 Apr 2017

File photo

The Mozambican government’s National Norms and Quality Institute (INNOQ) on Tuesday closed six pumps in two Maputo filling stations because they were providing customers with less fuel than they had paid for.

The legal tolerance is 50 millilitres per every 20 litres pumped. But the pumps closed by the INNOQ brigades were inaccurate to a much greater extent. They were pumping between 60 and 220 millilitres less than indicated for each 20 litres purchased.

The filling stations concerned, both located on Julius Nyerere Avenue in the heart of the city, are owned by the fuel companies Total and Petromoc. At the first station three out of the eight pumps were closed, and at the second a further three were closed (although in this station, only 14 of the 16 pumps were inspected).

The deputy general director of INNOQ, Geraldo Albazine, told reporters that the brigades left a notification with the managers of each station, ordering that the irregularities detected be corrected.

“The first action taken is to seal the pump so that it cannot be used”, said Albazine. “The process is then channelled to the INNOQ legal department, where administrative measures will be taken concerning the size of the fines to be paid”.

INNOQ gives the stations 15 days to correct and properly calibrate the pumps. They may then request INNOQ to remove the seals.

INNOQ admits that the owners and managers of the filling stations may not be deliberately cheating their customers, and wear and tear on the machinery could lead to inaccurate readings.

At the Total station, the manager said the pumps are checked every six months, and the last check was in October. The manager of the Petromoc station claimed his equipment was inspected every three months, most recently in January.