President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, ordered that those responsible for importing and dispensing “bad fuel”(fuel laced with methanol) to motorist be held accountable.
The President gave the order in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that producers and providers of consumable products be held accountable for substandard services and or products sold by them.
“The President has also given directives to the relevant government agencies to take every step in line with the laws of the country to ensure the respect and protection of consumers against market abuses and social injustices.”
“In a reaction to the issue of petroleum product shortages linked to the inadvertent supply of products of foreign origin into the Nigerian market, President Buhari said the protection of consumer interests is a priority of the present administration and is ready to take all necessary measures to protect consumers from hazardous products, loss or injuries from the consumption of substandard goods.”
“The President directed that in line with the law, service providers must make full disclosure of relevant information with respect to the consumption of their products and that dissatisfied consumers are entitled to a proper redress of their complaints.” Shehu stated.
As previously reported by huhuonline.com, GMD of NNPC, Mele Kyari, stated that MRS and three other dealers imported the contaminated products into Nigeria.
His stated that “On January 20, 2022, NNPC received a report from our quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.
“NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in Four (4) PMS cargoes imported by the following DSDP suppliers namely:
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.”
Mr. Kyari noted that cargoes quality certificates issued at load port (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicated that the gasoline complied with Nigerian specification.
Kyari stated that 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 Nigeria 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 per cent methanol content and therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors.”
Mr. Kyari affirmed that in order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, NNPC had ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck and marine).
“All defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC will work with the authority to take further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations,”
Huhuonline.com investigation reveals that documents on the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) for Premium Motor Spirit(PMS), NIS 116-2017 also known as petrol preclude the addition of methanol for petrol in Nigeria.
“The NIS document developed by relevant stakeholders with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) providing the coordination, secretariat and guidance to ensure that the process follows international best practice, gets the draft standards approved, published and disseminated also approved nil for ethanol.”
However, MRS has denied any involvement in the importation of the adulterated products, as it explained that methanol was prohibited in petrol imported into Nigeria.
MRS stated that , “Due to current subsidy regime, NNPC is the sole supplier of all PMS in Nigeria. Consequently, NNPC through their trading arm Duke Oil, supplied a cargo of PMS purchased from international trader Litasco and delivered it with Motor Tanker Nord Gainer.
“This vessel discharged in Apapa between the January 24 and 30, 2022 and the following major marketers with receiving quantities were the recipients of the product:
OVH, 10,000 metric tonnes; MRS, 5,000MT; NIPCO, 5,958MT; ARDOVA, 6,000MT; Total, 10,000MT.”
MRS affirmed that being one of the beneficiaries, it received the product in its depot and distributed the product to only eight of its stations in Lagos.
it stated that following delivery into tank, it was observed that the product appeared hazy and dark, adding that the management of MRS immediately directed that further sale(s) should be stopped and the product isolated.
The firm further stated that the allegation against MRS that it imported contaminated products, was therefore mischievous, false and untrue.
“MRS is not an importer of this contaminated PMS into the country, nor does MRS sell substandard products,” it concluded.
