Nigerian House of Representatives has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, pending the conclusion of an investigation into his comments about the quality of Dangote’s refined petroleum products.
Gatekeepers News reports that the motion to address this issue was adopted as a matter of urgent public importance following the impasse between Dangote Refinery and the Regulatory Authority.
According to lawmaker Esosa Iyawe, the quality of fuel can significantly impact engine hardware. Therefore, ultra-low sulfur diesel is recommended for various applications to avoid damage to engines and minimise air pollution.
The Edo lawmaker highlighted the environmental and health risks associated with high-sulfur content in fuels, emphasising the potential damage to the respiratory system and the increased risk of health issues, including cancer.
“The unguarded statements by the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, which has since been disproved, sparked an outrage from Nigerians who tagged his undermining of local refineries and insistence on the continued importation of fuel an act of economic sabotage, as the imported products have been shown to contain high levels of dangerous compounds.”
Meanwhile, the House Committee on Midstream and Downstream has launched an investigation into the dispute between Farouk Ahmed and Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, following Ahmed’s statement regarding the quality of Dangote Refinery’s petroleum products, which led to a series of allegations and counter-allegations.
Similarly, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has intervened to address the crisis between NMDPRA and Dangote Refinery.
