BUJUMBURA MAY 29th (ABP) – The Burundian Bureau of Standardization (BBN) closed on Thursday, May 25 in Bujumbura, service stations that use non-compliant measuring instruments.
It was during a field visit made by BBN inspectors to various stations located in the city of Bujumbura, in order to verify that the quantity given to customers is compliant, a check by ABP revealed.
Among the closed service stations, two are located north of the economic capital and the other in the south. The BALF Energy station located in the industrial neighborhood was closed because of its malfunctioning pump distributing fuel, especially gasoline, that is to say, if you buy 10 liters of gasoline, you withdraw 0.32 liters.
This is the same case as the DELTA station located in the Ngagara VIII quarter, where they withdraw 0.81 of gasoline per 10 liters. They also closed the prestige station of Kinindo located at the avenue du large which withdraws 0, 51 liters by 10 liters.
The director general of the BBN, Mr. Severin Sindayikengera, told the press that this visit was made following the grievances and lamentations of the people at the level of the distribution of fuel which is not in conformity. “There are gas station attendants and owners who want to have a lot of money from the people by trying to disrupt their pumps,” he said.
Mr. Sindayikengera also reported that these non-compliant pumps will be closed given the number of liters stolen and according to the margin that has been marked. The minimum closure of those stations is three to six months and the fine will be multiplied by 20. That is to say, he explained, if the fault committed and the fine relating to it is five hundred thousand, the owners of those stations will pay ten million pending the order which will lead to the purchase of new pumps which are not easily adjustable.
With regard to the withdrawal of recovery packaging, there was also a visit by BBN inspectors to the various markets, particularly the Kanyosha and Ruziba markets. The recovery packaging generally containing palm oil and cottonseed oil have been removed as well as the bottles of juice or other products found in the recovery bottles such as those of Heineken, Leffe. He also specified that they will increase the sanctions in relation to the use of that packaging, in order to take precedence over the health of consumers and compliance with standards to be competitive on the international market, especially for Burundian products.
He took the opportunity to appeal to private institutions and the Government to invest in the processing units and the manufacture of that packaging so that the whole population moves forward in the direction of being competitive at the quality level. He finally indicated that this trip will continue in the other provinces of the country.