The House of Representatives has issued a warning statement to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), renowned industrialist Aliko Dangote, and oil marketers to refrain from engaging in public accusations against each other through the media.
This directive was articulated by the House of Representatives Joint Petroleum Committee on Monday in response to reports of the alleged unavailability of crude oil for local refineries.
Previously, the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, expressed apprehensions regarding the consistency and standardization of the output from Aliko Dangote’s refinery.
Ahmed asserted that the quality of products from Dangote Refinery was substandard compared to imported ones. Moreover, he claimed that the refinery had not yet obtained the necessary licensing and remained incomplete for efficient operation.
In rebutting Ahmed’s allegations, Aliko Dangote disclosed that he had abandoned his initial plans to invest in the Nigerian steel sector to avert accusations of monopolistic practices as raised by the NMDPRA Chief Executive.
He indicated a willingness to divest his refinery to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to demonstrate that his investments are geared towards the nation’s development.
The Reps Joint Petroleum Committee divulged that an investigation has been initiated into the importation of adulterated petroleum products, the scarcity of crude oil for refineries, and threats to energy security. The committee mandated NMDPRA, Dangote, and the marketers to desist from engaging in media hostilities until the investigation is concluded.
The statement outlined that letters inviting submissions and appearances have been dispatched to key stakeholders, including the Minister for Petroleum (Oil), the management of NNPCL, GCEO Mele Kyari, Executive Vice President Downstream, and the Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Operations Officers, and their laboratory heads or testing partners. Other recipients of the invitations encompass IPMAN, PETROAN, NUPRC CEO, independent oil producers, International Oil Companies (IOCs), importers, marketers, and depot owners.
Emphasizing that the investigation seeks to identify and rectify the underlying challenges afflicting Nigeria’s petroleum sector, the lawmakers urged relevant stakeholders to refrain from any media attacks until the investigation is finalized.
