MONROVIA – Inflation in Liberia is not only about prices. It is also about short measures at the pump and the scale. The Liberia Standards Authority (LISA) says it is intensifying checks on fuel pumps and weighing scales nationwide. Deputy Director-General Koakum Emmanuel Myers made the disclosure Tuesday at the government’s press briefing. He warned that some businesses tamper with pumps to profit at consumers’ expense. LISA is also drafting standards for cement, steel, roofing materials and tires. Talks cover roadside gasoline sales and rice measures. The agenda is broad, yet Myers gave no figures on stations sanctioned. As THE ANALYST’S GEORGE FLOMO reports, consumers are being asked to help police the market, one sticker at a time.
The Liberia Standards Authority (LISA) says it is intensifying verification and compliance checks at fuel stations and commercial establishments across the country as part of efforts to strengthen consumer protection, promote fair measurement and address concerns surrounding the value consumers receive for their money.
The disclosure was made Tuesday by Koakum Emmanuel Myers, Deputy Director-General for Technical Services at LISA, when he appeared as a guest at the regular press briefing of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) in Monrovia.
Myers said LISA’s ongoing interventions are intended to ensure that consumers receive the exact quantity and quality of products for which they pay, particularly as concerns over the rising cost of goods and services continue to affect households and businesses.
He said the Authority’s work is being undertaken in line with the government’s broader effort to address inflationary pressures and what he described as “substantive issues” affecting consumers in the marketplace.
According to him, LISA is currently concentrating on what he called “low-hanging fruit,” beginning with areas where inaccurate measurement can have an immediate impact on consumers. One of the Authority’s immediate areas of focus, Myers disclosed, is the verification of fuel dispensing pumps at service stations across Liberia.
Fuel Pumps Under Scrutiny
He explained that LISA’s metrology department is responsible for ensuring fairness in measurements used in commercial transactions, including the quantity of fuel dispensed to motorists.
“Part of consumer protection is legal metrology. Our metrology department has to do with fairness in measurement in trade,” Myers said.
He explained that fuel pumps are subjected to verification every six months to determine whether their dispensing mechanisms are accurately measuring the quantity of fuel being sold.
For a five-gallon measurement, he said, the permitted tolerance is plus or minus 0.06, adding that the verification process is intended to ensure that consumers receive quantities reasonably corresponding to what they purchase.
Myers said the exercise is particularly important because fuel dispensers can develop mechanical problems through wear and tear, potentially affecting the quantity of fuel dispensed.
He also raised concern about deliberate interference with fuel dispensing equipment, noting that some businesses could tamper with pumps in an attempt to increase profits at the expense of consumers.
“We have some mechanical issues based on wear and tear to the dispenser,” he explained. “And sometimes businesses do that to tamper with [the equipment] in order to get more profit against our citizens, against the consumer.”
The LISA official urged motorists and other fuel consumers to look for the Authority’s verification sticker before purchasing fuel.
He said the sticker serves as an indication that the pump has undergone the required verification process.
According to Myers, the verification sticker contains an expiration date, allowing consumers to determine whether a particular pump is within its verification period.
He encouraged consumers to make the presence of the LISA verification mark part of their routine whenever they visit a fuel station.
“If you went to any gas station before you buy your gas, please check for the Liberia Standards Authority sticker,” he cautioned. He said consumers who fail to check for the verification mark could have difficulty determining whether the equipment dispensing the fuel has been verified.
LISA, he added, has also deployed another team to conduct spot checks and determine whether previously verified fuel stations remain in compliance.
Myers said some challenges have already emerged during the compliance exercise, including cases involving service stations whose equipment or operations have raised concerns. He disclosed that enforcement measures are being pursued against facilities found to be non-compliant.
Scales in Supermarkets Checked
Beyond fuel stations, LISA is extending its verification activities to weighing scales used in commercial transactions.
Myers explained that scales are important because the amount consumers pay for commodities such as rice, meat and other goods is often determined by weight.
He said LISA has teams visiting supermarkets and other commercial establishments where different types of weighing equipment are used.
The verification process, according to him, is intended to establish whether the scales are accurately measuring the products being sold.
He further disclosed that after the initial verification exercise, LISA will conduct spot checks to determine whether businesses continue to use their equipment in accordance with established requirements.
Myers urged consumers purchasing goods sold by weight to pay attention to the presence of LISA’s verification mark.
“If you went to buy a kilogram of rice, or you want to buy anything that they use a scale to measure, check on that scale to see the Liberia Standards Authority sticker,” he said.
He warned that equipment without the appropriate verification mark would not provide consumers with the assurance that it has been verified by LISA.
Roadside Gasoline Sales Under Review
The Deputy Director-General also disclosed that LISA is engaged in discussions with other government institutions concerning the sale of gasoline outside conventional commercial service stations.
He said the discussions involve stakeholders including the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), with the focus extending beyond measurement to public safety.
According to Myers, the government is examining issues surrounding where gasoline is sold, how it is stored and the potential risks posed to consumers and communities.
He said safety, location and fire risks are among the issues being considered.
“We are basically looking through that, and when that discussion comes out, you will see some measures will come along,” Myers said.
He added that the process will also involve people who sell gasoline along roadsides, suggesting that future measures could seek to address both consumer protection and the safety of those involved in the trade.
Building Materials Standards Program
Myers also announced that LISA is working on a broader program aimed at establishing and strengthening standards for building materials imported and used in Liberia. He identified the initiative as part of the Authority’s efforts to improve the quality and safety of products entering and circulating within the Liberian market.
The initiative, he said, is being pursued through an inter-institutional mechanism involving LISA, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), relevant public institutions, the Liberia Engineering Society and the Consumers Association.
The objective, he explained, is first to identify the different building materials available in Liberia and determine the minimum standards that should apply to them.
Myers said it would be difficult to establish and enforce standards without first mapping the products and understanding what is already available in the market.
According to Myers, LISA’s initial focus under the building-materials standards program includes five priority areas, among them cement, steel, roofing materials and tires.
He said technical working committees have been established and stakeholders, including manufacturers, distributors and importers, have already participated in discussions.
The process is intended to create a basis for determining appropriate standards, developing policy and strengthening enforcement.
Myers explained that while the MOCI has an important policy and enforcement role and the LRA handles revenue and import-related matters, LISA’s responsibility is to establish and promote standards that can be applied across the marketplace.
He said the different institutions must therefore work together to determine what standards should govern products being imported, sold and used in Liberia.
Shared Responsibility for Fair Trade
The LISA official stressed that consumer protection and standards enforcement cannot be achieved by the Standards Authority alone. He said government institutions, businesses and consumers all have responsibilities in creating a marketplace where quality, accurate measurement and fairness are expected.
“Quality, accurate measurement and fairness become a normal expectation in this country,” Myers said, emphasizing that achieving that objective requires cooperation among all stakeholders.
He called on businesses to verify their measuring instruments, refrain from tampering with verification marks or seals, use equipment that is fit for its intended purpose and comply with applicable standards and technical regulations.
He urged consumers to look for LISA verification marks, pay attention to the quantity of goods they receive, ask questions and report suspected cases of non-compliance.
According to Myers, the standards being developed and enforced by LISA should not be viewed merely as technical regulations, but as mechanisms directly connected to what consumers buy, what they pay for and the level of confidence they have in the marketplace.
The LISA official further disclosed that the Authority is examining inconsistencies in measurements used in the sale of commodities, including rice. He noted that different measuring containers are used by traders, creating inconsistencies in the quantity of commodities consumers receive. He said discussions are underway to develop a national standard for such measurements so that a commonly accepted measurement can be used in commercial transactions.
Myers said the broader objective is to eliminate practices that undermine fairness and contribute to what consumers perceive as hidden inflation.
He reiterated that LISA’s intervention is part of the government’s wider effort to address inflation by ensuring that consumers receive the quantity and quality of products corresponding to the money they spend.
“If you pay for a liter or gallon, you should get a liter or gallon. If you pay for a kilogram, you have a kilogram. And when you pay for quality, you should get quality,” Myers declared. He said LISA will continue working with government agencies, the business community and consumers to build confidence in Liberia’s marketplace through standards, accurate measurement, quality assurance and consumer protection.