Tooro region advocates for Ministry of Energy oversight of Fuel Stations

Several fuel stations operating in rural communities do not meet required standards, according to stakeholders and district leaders in the Tooro sub-region.

They have urged the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards to regulate the proliferation of fuel stations.

When the UNBS and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development hosted a stakeholders meeting. Mr. Edgar Mugazi, the Bunyangabu District Environmental Officer, raised concerns regarding the district’s lack of standard-following behavior.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Energy and UNBS have entirely different standards.

“In my district many stations cannot meet the standards, yet they are fully licensed by the Ministry of Energy and certified by UNBS, making our work as inspectors challenging,” He said

The Kyenjonjo District Environmental Officer, Mr. Julius Bigabwa, stated that  due to the fact that there are so many fuel stations allover, some fuel stations do not even have verified vehicles to transport fuel to their outlets .

Because the ministry and UNBS are centralized, he blamed non compliance on the absence of a focal person in the districts for routine monitoring and reporting.

“Some fuel dealers resort to using motorcycles to transport fuel in jerricans to rural outlets, which violates safety standards,” he added that, “this practise poses numerous risks along the way”.

Bigabwa went further to inform the officials that, “You’re telling us that when you find fuel stations not meeting standards, you seal them. What happens to the fuel in the tanks? Who removes it, and where does it go? We’ve never seen trucks coming to remove it.”

The close proximity of fuel stations to residential areas and schools, which puts people’s lives in danger, was one of the other issues brought up during the meeting.