MPs urge suspension of NMDPRA CEO over comments on Dangote refinery operations

• The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
• MP Esosa Iyawe stressed that an investigation had shown that Dangote’s diesel had a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm, which contradicted Ahmed’s claims.
• Prominent Nigerians reacted to the issue, calling on the federal government to ensure that the Dangote refinery is supported.

FCT, Abuja – The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend Farouk Ahmed, Chairman of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), over his controversial comments on the high sulphur content in diesel at the Dangote refinery.

This suspension is recommended pending a thorough investigation of the allegations by the House of Representatives.

The motion was made following the adoption of a motion of urgent public interest tabled by MP Esosa Iyawe during plenary sitting on Tuesday.

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In his motion, MP Iyawe recalled that the NMDPRA boss had recently claimed that diesel from the Dangote refinery was of inferior quality to imported diesel, citing sulphur levels ranging between 650 and 1,200 ppm. This was reported by Daily trust.

Furthermore, the MP said that after investigating the claims made by the NMDPRA boss, it was found that Dangote’s diesel had a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm.

He added that, in contrast, the two samples of imported diesel showed sulphur levels of over 1,800 ppm and 2,000 ppm respectively, which refuted the NMDPRA chief’s claims.

He said:

“The thoughtless statements made by the Chairman of the Board of the NMDPRA, which have since been refuted, caused outrage among the Nigerian woman.

“Many saw his actions as undermining local refineries and encouraging further fuel imports, an act of economic sabotage since the imported products contained high concentrations of dangerous compounds.”

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“The NMDPRA Executive Director’s rash statement without prior investigation is not only unprofessional but also unpatriotic, especially in light of recent calls for protests against the federal government.”

Rep. Iyawe stressed that fuel quality can impact engine hardware, pointing out that ultra-low sulphur diesel is recommended for various industries, but high sulphur content in fuel causes engine damage and contributes to air pollution.

As a reminder, the House Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources launched an investigation on Monday, July 22.

However, it was promised that the Dangote Refinery, other refineries and stakeholders in the oil industry would be invited for consultation and to take necessary action.

It is counterproductive to disparage Dangote – AfDB President

African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina warned that the Nigerian government would suffer from criticism of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his refinery as it would scare away foreign investors.

Adesina rejected allegations that Dangote had a monopoly, expressed horror at the controversy and noted that it had a negative impact on Nigeria’s global reputation.

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He said:

“The criticism of Dangote is unjustified, counterproductive and damaging to Nigeria. It raises doubts about who would invest in a country that denigrates and undermines its most significant investor.”

No investor will trust a country that undermines its critical assets – Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also said that the destruction of critical assets like the Dangote refinery undermines investor confidence, stressing the importance of the refinery to energy and economic stability.

He said:

“No investor will trust a country that undermines its key assets. Protecting significant investments like Dangote’s is essential to attract foreign direct investment and drive our economic growth.”

Obi calls on Tinubu’s government to support Dangote

Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate for 2023, also called for a cautious approach to the conflict. He stressed the crucial role of the refinery and called for its full support to ensure its success.

He said:

“Government agencies should be directed to provide necessary support for the smooth start-up and operation of the Dangote refinery and its associated businesses.”

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Senate investigates oil sector

In a related development Legit.ng reported that Senate President Godswill Akpabio shared his thoughts on the petroleum sector following the recent revelations by Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Refinery, regarding the marketing of his product.

Akpabio raised the alarm over the ongoing economic sabotage that has undermined investor confidence in the oil sector and called on the Senate to identify and bring to justice those responsible for these criminal acts.

Source: Legit.ng