The petroleum industry is the engine of any economy; that’s why every effort must be made to ensure stakeholders comply with standards to avoid catastrophic consequences that could result from noncompliance.

Dr Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, the Rwanda Bureau of Standards Director General, told Standards Journal’s Peterson Tumwebaze why sector stakeholders, including importers and dealers in petroleum and its products, must adhere to sector standards and guidelines:

How does Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) ensure players in the petroleum sector comply with standards?

First of all, it’s important to understand that no economy can grow without the petroleum sector. The oil industry is key for any economy, including Rwanda.

Therefore, what happens in the sector has a direct impact on the economy.

That’s why it’s vital for RBS and other regulators to ensure that stakeholders conform to standards. Remember, any laxity could have dire consequences on the entire economy.

To be able to control the sector, we developed standards that can be accessed by all stakeholders any time because they were widely publicized.

We (RBS and stakeholders) use these same standards to monitor quality, volumes, temperature, and density of oil and its products as they enter the country.

Also, we have intensified efforts to have all fuel pump stations calibrated, and they are certified every six months. We also regularly conduct market surveillance to ensure that no alterations are made to protect consumers and prevent any revenue leakages and tax evasion.

We have also upgraded our laboratory equipment, thanks to the massive financial support by government. We are now able to test oil products and provide results within two days.