The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has briefed members of the press on the impounding of 300 litres of fuel from an illegal vendor, following of a joint-sectorial operation that was conducted on Tuesday, 1st September 2021, by the Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), and the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services (GFRS).
During the presser, journalists were apprised about the outcome of the said operation as well as the authority’s ‘undiluted resolve’ to put an end to the menace of illegal and unlicensed vending of fuel, especially in an inappropriate location.
Director General (DG) of PURA, Mr. Yusupha M. Jobe, disclosed that the authority had been having some criminal issues, regarding some criminal elements in the society that are peddling fuel illegally, without license and not concerned with the safety and security of the environments where they are operating.
The PURA boss stated, “Of late, we have been having serious repercussions from these incidents, including loss of lives including innocent people who have nothing to do with the peddlers, and that valuable assets have also been lost.” He noted that gases have exploded during the incidents and people died; as such, they thought it necessary to take some necessary actions to eradicate the menace by putting an end to the practice.
“We have embarked on some serious campaign together with some authorities such as the Police, GRA, NEA and GFRS. We also want to urge on the general public who are the main victims of the menace, to be vigilant and active to report any such act to the PURA,” DG Jobe declared. This, he made it clear, is not about PURA but the general safety of the lives of the general public, stressing it’s the people who suffer from such practices if there is any eventually due to the menace.
PURA’s Director of Water, Petroleum and Energy, Mr. Momodou Lamin Sompo Ceesay reminded the journalists of the 3rd and 28th of August 2021, major explosions that happened in Jalangba and Brikama at the Petro Gam, respectively and he lamented the latter could have been a more fatal one due to proximity of the spot to the market in Brikama. He said all of these incidents and their frequencies showed that there are a lot of illegal activities happening in the country.
“PURA has started investigating the source of these products as regards to where they come from, who is involved. And, we have been receiving a lot of support from our sister regulatory bodies,” Petroleum Director Ceesay stated. He also informed that they have started the enforcement action- which is ongoing- and that during the first activity, they have targeted about five sites in Sinchu, Brikama, Gunjur, Lamin and Manjai.
The PURA Energy Director continued: “We were able to apprehend some of the vehicles involved, and about 300 litre of fuel in 20 litre gallons and 200 litre of barrel. In some of the places, we found that they [alleged dealers] heard information that we were coming and we were not actually able to find them operating.” They, however, had seen some of the places and are continuously monitoring the situation, according to the PURA senior official.
He avowed that should such places and illegal vendors continue to operate, PURA would enforce the law, with the view to put an end to the menace.
Mr. Ndenneh Nying, Principal Environmental Inspector of National Environment Agency (NEA), told the gathered journalists that the menace ‘is now at a very alarming state’, and that NEA had been working with PURA and would continue the spirit to ensure that the menace is stopped.
