How NNPC allegedly replaced stolen PMS with Highly Concentrated Methanol Fuel

How NNPC allegedly replaced stolen PMS with Highly Concentrated Methanol Fuel

…As EFCC questions top management over methanol quantity in fuel

By: James Bwala

Reports on Thursday evening revealed that fear has gripped top management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC over the recent resurgence of queue due to the importation of contaminated fuel into the country.

NEWSng learnt that NNPC Limited, Oando and other suppliers will be held accountable for importing the contaminated fuel.

It was learnt that some of the top staff at NNPC currently in EFCC net are involved in the deal sabotaging the efforts of the government towards delivering quality products to the Nigerian population.

It could be recalled that the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, Mr. Farouk Ahmed said that methanol quantity above Nigeria’s specification was discovered in a supply chain, which has since been isolated.

However new facts emerging from insiders alleged that the resurgence of fuel queues in Lagos and Abuja were as a result of deliberate negative action by the NNPC to replace stolen fuel thereby sabotaging the government and short-changing Nigerians.

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Speaking with sources from the inside revealed that some top staff has been arrested by the EFCC for questioning over the contaminated fuel supplied to the Nigerian populic.

During a chat with sources, It was learnt that the situation if the government digs deeper may open a CAN of worms on the activities of few individuals in the system putting the country to ransom.

Abdullahi Umar, a Marketer told NEWSng that there is the need for the government to overhaul the department responsible for quality control as this is an indication that they are not doing their work.

“There is no TQM in NNPC, if there is they should all be sacked. This is not acceptable as many Nigerians have suffered loss due to this intentional and deliberate wickedness. There is more to this, information is coming out. We were told they connive with some suppliers and diverted the good fuel and in trying to cover their tracks resorted to supplying poor and adulterated fuel to unsuspecting populace.” He said

Also Ibrahim Maigida, a Total Quality management expert said, “Why is such a big company like NNPC only discovering Methanol quantity in the fuel after the products have been delivered to the public?”

According to him, when some of the staff of the corporation were asked, they give no straight answers knowing that there is more to this than meets the eye. “But the government, if they take this seriously, will get to the bottom of it. Already we learnt that some staff of the NNPC have been arrested and are being questioned by the EFCC over the supply.”

Earlier Mr Ahmed said while the quality control agencies of the government have swung into action, NNPC Limited and oil marketers have been directed to ensure robust supply of petroleum products.

 “Methanol is a regular additive in petrol and is usually blended to acceptable quantity,” Mr Ahmed said at a press briefing in Abuja. “To ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product has been isolated from the market, including those loaded in trucks.

“Our technical team, in conjunction with NNPC and other industry stakeholders will continue to monitor and ensure quality products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide. So there is no need to panic. The sole supplier has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the authorities and the NNPC.

“The NNPC Limited and all marketing companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of petrol products in all retail outlets nationwide to avoid any scarcity. Meanwhile, the NNPC has intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petroleum products in the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap.” He said.

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Following anxiety as a result of the abovementioned, 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, while reacting to the embarrassing situation, has  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.

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement on Thursday, said Buhari gave the directive while reacting to the issue of petroleum product shortages linked to the inadvertent supply of products of foreign origin into the Nigerian market.

According to the president, 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, therefore, 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.

Also on Thursday, the House of Representatives ordered an immediate investigation into the importation of toxic fuel and the roles played by regulatory agencies in the ports.

Adopting a motion for investigation, members of the House insisted that the act of importing toxic fuel was deliberate and should not be allowed to go unpunished.

The investigation is to cover the roles played by the NNPC Limited, the Nigeria Customs Service, Standard Organisation of Nigeria and other agencies that are supposed to play a critical role in the importation and dispensing of the contaminated fuel.

How NNPC allegedly replaced stolen PMS with Highly Concentrated Methanol Fuel