NNPC Reveals how Dirty Fuel was Imported Into the Country list Four companies Involved and Next action
- The real importer of dirty fuel that resulted in the return of queues across the country has been revealed
- The revelation is coming less than 24 hours after MRS Oil Nigeria Plc came out to deny reports linking it to the contaminated product
- The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on behalf of Nigeria imports Petrol into the country through various deals
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari has explained how ‘adulterated’ Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol got into the country undetected and the companies that brought it in.
According to Kyari who spoke on Wednesday, 9th February 2022, the adulterated fuel came into the country from Belgium, The Guardian reports.
Kyari was speaking to Journalist about the problem which had led to PMS shortage and the emergence of queues in Abuja, Lagos, and several other states, at a late-night briefing in the nation’s capital.
Source: Facebook
According to ChannelsTV, The PMS, he said, had been imported into the country by four importers from Antwerp in Belgium with quality inspectors failing to detect the high level of Methanol it contained, first at the point of import in Belgium and at the point of. arrival in Nigeria.
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His words:
“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors,” Mr Kyari told journalists at the briefing.
The NNPC boss did not give the date of import but disclosed that the NNPC found out about the situation late in January.
“On 20th January 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium,” he said.
“NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in Four (4) PMS cargoes.”
Importer Vessel Name Load Port
1 MRS MT Bow Pioneer LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium
2 Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium MT Tom Hilde
3 Oando MT Elka Apollon
4 Duke Oil MT Nord Gainer
The NNPC GMD explained that the fact that the PMS contained Methanol was not detected by checks because the quality checks do not include checks for Methanol percentage.
He said,
“Cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicate that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.
“The NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge also showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specification.
“As a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has met Nigerian specification.
“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.”
He assured Nigerians that the NNPC was sourcing additional cargoes to meet PMS demands and that “to prevent the distribution of the petrol, we have ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine)”.
As for the suppliers of the affected products, the NNPC boss said:
“We have put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC will work with the authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations”.
Petroleum minister reveals Buhari's position on removal of petrol subsidy
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the minister of state for petroleum, Sylva, reacted to reports of President Buhari's plan to remove the subsidy on petrol.
Sylva during this week’s edition of Channels Television’s Newsnight revealed that Buhari is not in support of the removal of subsidy on petrol at this time.
According to him, the complete removal of subsidy is not on the federal government's plate, saying they plan to complete consultations before coming out with a clear policy direction on the matter.
Source: Legit.ng
