Barely
seven months after taking over from Galp, the management and staff of PetroGas
Company Limited Saturday converged on Paradise Suites Hotel to assess the
current status of the company. PetroGas, the newest dealer in fuel and
lubricants in the country, took over from Galp in January 2017. The company has
a staff of over 72 and is currently operating 11 filling stations at strategic
locations within Greater Banjul Area with intention to go nationwide with
additional 6 stations.
The
meeting which is the first of its kind reviewed health, security and safety
issues, as well as the company’s sales, customer care service, information
technology and financial status.
The
retreat attended by delegates from all sectors of the company also discussed
the achievements and constraints of the company with a view to map the way
forward.
The staff of the company lauded the
initiative while acknowledging what they called “marked improvement” made by
the company from January to date.
Speaking
at the forum, the General Manager of the company Lang K Konteh said his
administration believes in bottom-up management approach as opposed to top-down
management approach, hence the need to bring the entire staff together to plan
the way forward.
He
said Petrogas is currently ranked third in the country’s fuel retail business
and that the company is aspiring to be the best in class in the fuel retail
business by delivering the right quality product, at the right time, at right
place, at the right price whilst ensuring the highest safety standards
throughout the entire distribution chain.
Mr Konteh urged the company staff to strive
hard to ensure that both customers and company shareholders get value for their
money. “We want our staff to be proud of working for Petrogas but we also
expect them to be good brand ambassadors for the company”, he added. Mr Konteh
spoke of plans to expand their product line by selling LPG and cooking stoves
as part of the UNIDO-GEF6 pilot project.
Mr
Konteh thanked government for creating the enabling environment for businesses
to thrive in the country. He said the company has made significant progress
during the period under review and commended both the shareholders and staff
for their support and dedication to the advancement of the firm. The Health,
Safety, Environment and Procurement Manager Burama Jaiteh said the company
places high premium on safety.
He
warned against smoking, the use of mobile phones and sparks in filling
stations. “People should be extremely careful at petrol stations. The
environment is easily flammable because there is always fuel vapour in the
environment”, Jaiteh cautioned.
The
Sales manager Micheal Sock, the Financial controller Ebrima Manneh and the
Human Resource Assistant Esie Riley all stated that the company is doing better
than its predecessor in terms of income generation and staff motivation.
They said the company offers best price for
fuel and lubricants in the country. At the end of the conclave participants
stressed the need to address stock loss at their filling stations and
recommended for the provision of health and safety gears.
