FG Asked to Suspend NMDPRA Boss Amid Refinery Controversy

Reps demand NMDPRA Boss' suspension over Dangote refinery row...

Nigerian House of Representatives calls for suspension of NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed amid allegations of adulterated fuel and controversial statements against local refineries, including Dangote Refinery, as joint committee investigates claims and fuel quality concerns.

The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to suspend Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), pending the outcome of investigations into allegations against him.

This decision was made after a motion of urgent public importance was adopted during the plenary session on Tuesday, July 23, sponsored by Esosa Iyawe, representing Esosa Federal Constituency in Edo State. The motion sought to address concerns arising from Ahmed's controversial statements about local refineries in Nigeria.

Lawmaker Esosa Iyawe stressed the need for a thorough investigation into allegations of adulterated fuel in the Nigerian market, citing the significant impact of fuel quality on engine performance.

Iyawe explained that ultra-low sulphur diesel is the recommended choice for various applications, including power plants, storage tanks, industrial facilities, fleets, heavy equipment, and ships, due to its cleaner-burning properties. He noted that high sulphur content in fuels can cause engine damage and contribute to air pollution.

The lawmaker highlighted that many countries have implemented regulations to reduce sulphur emissions, setting strict standards for diesel producers to meet, due to the associated risks. This emphasizes the importance of ensuring fuel quality in Nigeria to protect engines and the environment.

Labour Party lawmaker Esosa Iyawe noted that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) currently permits local refiners to produce diesel with a sulphur content of up to 650 parts per million (ppm) until January 2025, in line with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regulations.

Iyawe referenced a statement by the NMDPRA boss, who alleged that diesel produced by the Dangote Refinery has a higher sulphur content, ranging from 650 to 1,200 ppm, compared to imported diesel, which is claimed to be of better quality.

He said, “In their defence, Dangote called for a test of their products, which was supervised by members of the House of Representatives, wherein it was revealed that Dangote's diesel had a Sulphur content of 87.6 ppm (parts per million), whereas the other two samples diesel imported showed sulphur levels exceeding 1800 ppm and 2000 ppm respectively, thus disproving the allegations made by the NMDPRA boss.

“Allegations have been made that the NMDPRA was giving licences to some traders who regularly import high- sulphur content diesel into Nigeria, and the use of such products poses grave health risks and huge financial losses for Nigerians.

“The unguarded statements by the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, which has since been disproved, sparked an outrage from Nigerians who tagged his undermining of local refineries and insistence on the continued importation of fuel an act of economic sabotage, as the imported products have been shown to contain high levels of dangerous compounds.”

He condemned what he called the careless statement by Farouk, noting that: “Without conducting any prior investigation, he was not only unprofessional but also unpatriotic, especially in the face of the recent calls for protest against the Federal Government.”

A joint committee of the House of Representatives launched an investigation on Monday, July 22, 2024, into the allegations made by Farouk Ahmed against Dangote Refinery. The committee, comprising members from the Petroleum (Downstream and Midstream) Committees, is tasked with probing the claims.

The panel is also conducting a comprehensive legislative forensic investigation into various issues, including the involvement of middlemen in crude oil trading, the alleged absence of international standard laboratories to detect adulterated products, and other related matters.