Public Utility Authority of The Gambia [PURA] has fined JAH OIL company, one of the leading petroleum companies in the country, to pay D900, 000 for illegally constructing and operating petrol stations at unauthorised sites contrary to the Petroleum Products Act, 2016 and Service Station Regulations, 2018.
The utility authority made this announcement today saying JAH OIL ‘deliberately and recklessly violates applicable laws by failing to comply with the legal requirements of obtaining a Construction Permit and refusing to comply with the Authority’s directives.’
“Having weighed in the totality of facts surrounding this issue and for want of sanity and compliance in the regulated sector, the Authority [PURA] determines the following against Jah Oil Company as follows:
“1. To pay a fine of GMD D200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dalasi) for deliberately constructing a petrol station in Wellingara without the required permit from the Authority.
“2. To pay a fine of GMD D200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Dalasi) for deliberately constructing a petrol station on Kairaba Avenue without the required permit from the Authority.
“3. To pay a fine of GMD D500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Dalasi) for deliberately failing to comply with the Authority’s Directive pertaining to Badala Basse and a further sum of D25,000.00 (Twenty-five Thousand Dalasis after the expiration of this notice for as long as this contravention persists,” PURA stated in a dispatch.
Similarly, the company is further directed to stop all illegal construction in Wellingara and Kairaba Avenue forthwith and comply with the requirements of the Petroleum Products Service Stations Regulations 2018.
Meanwhile, in accordance with Section 15 (2) of the Enforcement Regulations 2010, the fine shall take effect fourteen (14) days, upon receipt of the information by the oil company. And failure of compliance shall lead to the commencement of criminal prosecution against the oil firm.
JAH OIL has over 16 registered petrol and gasoil filling stations in The Gambia, providing employment to some. It also imports and sells auto engine lubricants and related petroleum products from the USA and the Middle East, according to research.
Efforts to reach out to the company for comments were unsuccessful.
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