Nigeria’s 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 (NMDPRA), pending an investigation into his remarks about the quality of products from the Dangote Refinery.
The call for suspension followed a motion of urgent public importance by Esosa Iyawe, who addressed the ongoing conflict between the Dangote Refinery and the NMDPRA.
Iyawe highlighted the importance of fuel quality, noting that ultra-low sulfur diesel is essential for various sectors, including companies, power plants, storage tanks, industrial facilities, fleets, heavy equipment, and ships. He emphasized that high sulfur content in fuels can damage engines and significantly contribute to air pollution.
The Edo lawmaker also pointed out the severe environmental and health risks associated with sulfur dioxide, which can harm the human respiratory system, impair lung function, and even cause cancer.
“The unguarded statements by the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, which have since been disproved, sparked an outrage from Nigerians who accused him of undermining local refineries and favoring continued fuel importation, which has been shown to contain high levels of harmful compounds,” Iyawe stated.
This issue arose after the House Committee on Midstream and Downstream began investigating the dispute between Ahmed and Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group. In recent days, Ahmed’s comments about the alleged inferiority of Dangote Refinery’s petroleum products have led to widespread allegations and counter-allegations.
In a related development, Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), initiated steps on Monday to mediate the crisis between the NMDPRA and Dangote Refinery.
