Lawyers under the aegis of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership have condemned the statement made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, accusing Dangote Refinery of producing inferior products compared to those imported into the country.
The Forum, comprising over 20 constitutional lawyers led by Comrade Tijani Usman, told a press conference in Abuja that the NMDPRA boss also accused Dangote Refinery of having a monopoly and claimed that the diesel from the refinery contains a high sulfur content of about 1,000 parts per million (ppm).
“As if that were not enough, the NMDPRA boss disclosed that the Dangote Refinery, which has been selling diesel and aviation fuel in the country for months, is not yet licensed and remains at the pre-commissioning stage.”
According to the lawyers, Farouk Ahmed’s statement is a calculated attempt to undermine the Dangote Refinery at a time when Nigerians are urging the government to build more refineries or refurbish the existing ones. This is particularly pertinent as the NNPCL has made several failed promises about when the existing refineries will start operating.
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They said that statements like the one made by Farouk Ahmed against the Dangote Refinery are not only condemnable but also a clear act of sabotage and witch-hunt by some individuals in the oil sector who are determined to thwart the efforts of Aliko Dangote and the good intentions of President Tinubu.
The lawyers also called for the suspension of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, and others in the oil industry who are intent on frustrating the President’s renewed hope agenda.
They argued that suspending Kyari and his associates would allow the House of Representatives’ Joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream and Midstream), which is conducting a forensic investigation into the state of the NNPCL and the downstream sector, to carry out its probe without interference.
The lawyers urged the Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) and Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream)-led probe panel to ensure that the OVH Acquisition and other issues are not ignored, as these are significant concerns that the Joint Committee should address beyond those raised in the motion prompting the forensic investigation.
According to the lawyers, “It is quite remarkable that the House of Representatives has resolved to carry out a forensic investigation into the presence of middlemen in trading, the indiscriminate issuance of licenses, the lack of laboratories to check adulterated products, the influx of adulterated products into the country, the alleged non-domestication of profits from crude marketing sales in local banks, and other anomalies.
“Interestingly, the forensic investigation will also cover the importation of substandard products and high-sulfur diesel into Nigeria, the sale of petroleum products below fair market value, and the impact on the downstream sector, among other things. The House is expected to report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
“However, these efforts will be futile if Kyari and his associates are allowed to remain in office while the investigation is conducted.
“Beyond the issues highlighted in the motion that initiated the probe, the Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (Downstream) and Hon. Henry Okojie (Midstream)-led probe panel should ensure that the OVH Acquisition and other issues are thoroughly investigated and not swept under the carpet.
“Nigerians are well aware that after a N140 billion purchase, the NNPCL was unable to complete the acquisition of OVH Energy Marketing Limited’s downstream assets. The panel will be challenging individuals who are already disillusioned with the kleptomania within the company,” the lawyers stated.
