Tamale, Feb. 23, GNA - The Ghana Standards Board in the Northern Region would soon embark on periodic checks on fuel stations in the three northern regions to ensure that their verification fuel instruments and wind scales were not tampered with for cheating the unsuspecting public.

The board would also embark on an exercise to get sachet water producers in the area to register with the board and those who flout the order would face sanctions.

Mr. Francis Gweni Luguwuu, Northern Regional Officer of the Ghana Standards Board disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Tamale on Friday.

He said in some few cases in parts of the country, fuel station managers were caught and that the situation in the three northern regions was worse because of the distance involved for members of the Board to embark on verification exercises periodically.

He said the Board often visits the stations once every six months and managers know periods of visit and they could adjust the seals themselves and after Standards Board's personnel had finished verification they readjust them, which he said, was against the law. "Information reaching me in my few days in the region indicates that fuel filling station managers and their attendants were readjusting their verification instruments after the board had adjusted them to sell the product at a higher cost to the unsuspecting public.

He said the same thing was being done to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to the ignorance of customers and warned them to desist from the practice to ensure sanity in the petroleum market.

On sachet water, he said only one producer had certification certificate from the board and advised the public to be wary of sachet water they consume since the board could not guarantee the safety of sachet water in the regions.

He has, therefore advised them to register with the board to facilitate their businesses and that the Ghana Standards Board meets international standards and they could export their water to neighbouring countries for sale.

Mr. Francis Loguwuu, who also takes additional responsibility of the Upper East and Upper West Regions said the first phase of the fuel verification process has started with the Upper East Region and that anyone found culpable would be handed over to the police for prosecution.

He advised the public to remain vigilant when buying petroleum products since fuel attendants could cheat them easily and that any member of the public who felt cheated after buying the product should report to the Board's office in Tamale for re-verification. He said the board was working hard to maintain standards and to improve quality of lives in all, adding that it was not enough for members of the public to complain that fuel stations were cheating while they themselves were not vigilant.

Mr. Luguwuu also advised fruit producers in the three northern regions who have not yet registered with the board to do so to avoid sanctions and that they could also test for pesticide residue value for quality products for export.