MPs urge Tinubu to suspend NMDPRA CEO over comment on Dangote refinery

President Bola Tinubu has been urged to suspend the Chairman of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, over his indiscreet comments on the high sulphur content of diesel produced at the Dangote refinery.

The House of Representatives, which made the call, said Ahmed should be suspended pending the House’s investigation into the allegations.

The call came following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance tabled by MP Esosa Iyawe in plenary on Tuesday.

Presenting the motion, Iyawe recalled that the head of the NMDPRA had recently stated that the diesel produced by the Dangote refinery was of inferior quality to the diesel imported into the country and that their fuel had a high sulphur content, which he estimated at 650 to 1,200 ppm.

He said: “In his defence, Dangote requested a test of his products which was supervised by members of the House of Representatives. It was found that Dangote’s diesel had a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm (parts per million) while the other two imported diesel samples had sulphur levels of over 1800 pm and 2000 pm respectively, which refuted the allegations made by the NMDPRA boss.

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“Allegations have been made that the NMDPRA granted licenses to some traders who regularly import high sulphur diesel into Nigeria and that the use of such products poses serious health risks and huge financial losses to Nigerians.

“The ill-advised statements by the MDPRA Chairman, which have since been refuted, sparked a storm of indignation among the people of Nigeria, who described his actions as undermining local refineries and his insistence on continued importation of fuel as an act of economic sabotage, as the imported products were proven to contain high concentrations of dangerous compounds.

“The ill-considered statement by the Chairman of the Board of NMDPRA without prior investigation is not only unprofessional but also unpatriotic, especially in light of the recent calls for protests against the federal government.”

Rep. Iyawe said fuel quality could affect engine hardware as ultra-low sulphur diesel was recommended for all types of businesses, power plants, storage tanks, industrial plants, ships, fleets and heavy machinery. He added that high sulphur content in fuels caused engine damage and contributed to air pollution.

“Given the various risks associated with sulphur, governments around the world have taken steps to regulate it by setting standards requiring maximum reductions in emissions of this chemical compound, which diesel producers must adhere to.

“Sulphur dioxide has devastating consequences for the environment and health as it can damage the human respiratory system, impair lung function and even cause cancer.

“The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority will allow local refineries to produce diesel with sulphur content of up to 650 parts per million (ppm) by January 2025, as approved by ECOWAS,” the lawmaker added.