‘We make GH¢4,000 a day’ – Former fuel attendant blows alarm on tactics use to cheat customers

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Makay
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A former fuel attendant, identified as Emmanuel Eshun

A former fuel attendant, identified as Emmanuel Eshun, has exposed several tactics allegedly used by pump attendants to cheat both customers and management.

According to him, some workers are able to manipulate the approved unit price on dispensing machines, causing the pumps to dispense less fuel than customers actually pay for, especially when buyers do not pay close attention to the unit price per litre.

Emmanuel Eshun narrates tactics used by pump attendants to cheat both customers and management, disclosing that he was not aware of the system at first until it was later explained to him.

He detailed that the dispensers were tampered with each morning by supervisors, after which stickers by the Ghana Standard Authority were used to cover parts of the machine, mostly the unit price display, which makes it difficult for customers to verify what they are actually being charged per litre.

Emmanuel Eshun, in the interview, narrated the method in detail, saying, “When we cover it, you won’t really know. All you’ll see is the fuel amount. If you buy GH¢500, the amount is what will show as sold, but the actual litres won’t match what you paid for. Most people just ask for fuel by amount, so it reflects the money paid rather than the exact litres dispensed.”

He further disclosed that he began to adjust the dispenser himself to make additional income beyond what the company recorded, adding that he sometimes makes around GH¢4,000 or more in a day, depending on the type of vehicles served.

The former fuel station worker highlighted that heavy-duty vehicles were often the most affected, with saloon cars and “trotro” vehicles generating smaller gains for them.

He, however, asserted that commercial drivers often returned to confront attendants, leading to disputes and accusations.

Some Ghanaians reacting to the former fuel station worker’s revelation stated, “Hmmmm. This country, eh. This is what I have observed with my car. Last year, whenever I filled my tank, it read 310miles to empty, but surprisingly, the same car read 285 miles to empty when buying from the same fuel station. This observation is across many fuel stations. So much rot”.

A netizen added, “The standard board knows everything concerning that, together with those who mix water with the fuel, and because they’re paid well, they don’t do anything about it”.

“So he’ll just walk free in this country despite all the crimes and theft he has allegedly committed against us? Can’t the @GhPoliceService step in to invite and interrogate him, so he can clearly explain where these activities are taking place? Anyone involved should also be identified and arrested immediately if we truly want to act like a serious country”, one X user added.

One more netizen called for the dismissal of all fuel attendants, saying, “Get rid of all the attendants, make the machines accept card payment. You pay, you dispense yourself, and you drive off.

Technology solves a lot of the silly problems we have in Ghana, but we will never stop fooling ourselves”.

“Well, this happened to me yesterday when I bought fuel at the Star Oil on Darkuman stretch. I usually buy at the Star Oil at Fanmilk junction. Compared to how much petrol I get for 300 at Fanmilk, the darkuman own was less, so I’m never patronising that particular branch again”, one X user added.

One last X user recounted, “I have experienced this before. I wasn’t the driver. I was a passenger in a trotro car sitting close to the window. When the driver pulled up to the filling station, the attendant directed the car to one pump. Then a different attendant came to stand in front of the driver…”.

“This is why people hesitate to invest in businesses and startups, and instead spend on expensive cars to cruise around. Because trying to create jobs can end up costing you more than just enjoying what you’ve earned”, a netizen added.

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