A group has asked the chief executive officer (CEO), Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, resign over the importation of adulterated Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) currently in circulation in Nigeria.
Also asked to resign within seven days is the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the newly established Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Malam Mele Kyari, for ‘negligence.’
The group, NIGERIA FIRST, in a statement Friday by its national coordinator, Mr. Augustine Richard-Adie, and the Board of Trustees chair, Chief Philip Agbese, said the inactions of both heads of the regulatory agencies had caused Nigerians “untold hardship and brought serious embarrassment to President Muhammadu Buhari.”
The statement read in part, “The two CEOs of the above agencies, which are products of the PIA, have been fingered as those whose negligence was responsible for what Nigerians are currently suffering.
“The importation of the adulterated fuel has caused more harm than good and it is clear that these individuals should therefore resign immediately. They have to go immediately to save the president any further embarrassment and to keep his legacy in office.”
According to the group, it was unfortunate that the Buhari administration that had cured fuel queues in the last six years would be dented at a time that the president was about to exit office.
“We, therefore, give them seven days’ ultimatum to leave office and save the president of any further embarrassment.”
The two agencies’ bosses at separate press briefings on Tuesday confirmed the importation of adulterated PMS by some oil marketers.
The GMD NNPC said his investigation had revealed the presence of methanol in four petrol cargoes imported by MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando and Duke Oil.
The NMDPRA boss, on his part, told journalists on Tuesday that, “Petrol with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification, was discovered in the supply chain. Methanol is a regular additive in petrol and is usually blended in an acceptable quantity.”
This has been responsible for the return of long fuel queues in parts of the country, especially in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, Port Harcourt and other cities since the beginning of this week.
Embarrassed by the situation, President Buhari had reportedly instructed the Minister of State, Petroleum, Mr. Timipre Sylva, to immediately issue a query to NMDPRA Boss, Ahmed, to explain how the product came into the country.
Also, the House of Representatives, on Thursday, through a motion by the Chief Whip, Rep. Tahir Monguno, ordered urgent investigation into the importation of adulterated PMS and to also ascertain the roles played by the two regulatory agencies in the seaports.
