Members of the House of Representatives demand the suspension of the NMDPRA CEO following controversial remarks about Dangote Refinery. Read more on the unfolding situation.”
The House of Representatives demanded on Tuesday that the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, be suspended while investigations are ongoing regarding allegations made against the authority.
A motion of urgent public importance was adopted by Rep. Esosa Iyawe during a plenary session in Abuja, which led to this decision being made.
Fuel quality was emphasized by Rep. Iyawe and how it significantly affects engine hardware. He brought up the recommendation for ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel use in different areas such as companies, power plants, storage tanks, industrial facilities, fleets of vehicles or heavy equipment and ships because high sulfur content harms engines while also adding to air pollution concerns.
Read Also: House of Reps Summon Dangote and NMDPRA Over Poor Quality Petroleum Products
To alleviate environmental and health hazards, governments globally have implemented regulations on sulfur content in fuels, enforcing emission reduction standards. Exposure to sulfur dioxide can impair lung functionality, harm respiratory well-being, and lead to cancer as well.
According to Iyawe, the NMDPRA allows local refiners to manufacture diesel with a sulfur level of up to 650 parts per million (ppm) until January 2025 as authorized by ECOWAS.
Nevertheless, he accused Farouk Ahmed of stating recently that the Dangote refinery’s produced diesel was substandard when compared to imported ones due its sulphur content being between 650 and 1200 ppm.
Dangote reacted by requesting a monitored examination from House of Representatives officials. He disclosed that his diesel contained 87.6 ppm sulfur, whereas imported diesel samples exhibited sulfur concentrations surpassing 1800 ppm and 2000 ppm which invalidated Ahmed’s accusations.
According to Iyawe, the NMDPRA granted licenses to importers of high-sulfur diesel into Nigeria which posed serious health risks and financial damages for Nigerians. The public perceived Ahmed’s unproven assertions as economic sabotage since they undermined local refineries while encouraging fuel imports.
The House was alarmed by Ahmed’s unprofessional and unpatriotic statements, which were made without any prior investigation. These remarks became even more concerning given the recent protests against the Federal Government.
