Contaminated fuel: why Kyari must be sacked

Editorial

Nigeria has continued to enact an uncanny theatre of the absurd to the salacious amusement of the global community, who at the best must be intrigued by the paradox of a nation in custody of elite insensitivity, of poverty amidst plenty, a nation that continues to churn out first rate scientists and intellectuals in all disciplines; yet besmirched with vacuous leadership at every stage of her sad life .

It is as if Nigeria is a resident of Dante’s Inferno, a place reserved for sinners in the Italian dramatist’s recreation of Hell
The latest soap opera from Nigeria for global audiences is the importation of contaminated fuel into the country that has led to another round of hardship, a return of queues at petrol stations across the country and the resultant loss of man-hour and productivity as a result of traffic gridlocks.

At the centre of the tragic turn of events is Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd., NNPC, which ironically was the first to spill the beans , heaping the blame of the importation of the acidic fuel of Oando and four other oil concerns.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, had last Tuesday, accused MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando and Duke Oil of importing the contaminated fuel.

However, the claim is contrary to the statement by MRS, one of the oil companies accused of importing the fuel.

MRS in a press statement had claimed that the NNPC imported the fuel directly.

The statement said “ NNPC is the sole supplier of all PMS in Nigeria.

Consequently, NNPC through its trading arm, Duke Oil, supplied a cargo of PMS purchased from international trader Litasco and delivered it with Motor Tanker (MT) Nord Gainer.”

Mr Monguno, a member of the House of Representatives, in a motion called the attention of the Lower Chambers to the unpatriotic allegations made by MRS against NNPC, calling for investigation into the reported importation of adulterated fuel by the NNPC Limited and the resultant effect on consumers in Nigeria.

Speaking in support of the motion, Isiaka Ibrahim (APC, Ogun), said the importation of the adulterated products was possible because people know that there are no consequences for breaking the rules.

As a newspaper, we are saddened by the fact that NNPC is responsible for importation of adulterated product, as it yet to counter MRS’s strong claim, rather it said this morning that it has started withdrawing the said products from circulation more than one week after the products had destroyed engines of numerous vehicles and generators of individuals.

As we speak, there is no statement from the ministry of petroleum resources on a matter as grave as this, yet we would rather the international community took us serious when impunity is directive principle of state policy under a supposedly spartan presidency acting on the premise of integrity and zero tolerance for impropriety.

If we continue this way, it will not be long before state institutions collapse.

EnergyDay is of the view that if the same mistake had happened with aviation fuel, the consequences would have been dire and tragic.

In all honesty, this medium believes in the fact that the importation of the adulterated fuel could be linked to system collapse.

We are aware of the fact that there are over 11 inspections between importation and fuel stations, and thus we make bold as a newspaper that there is a compromise in the system.

It is in the public domain that there are almost 11 charts before PMS gets to the filling stations. First, at the importation level, there is a company that ascertains the product that is being brought into the country. When it comes to Nigeria, we also test.

Also, all the marketing companies have independent laboratories to ascertain the quality of the product. For this to happen, this newspaper believes there system is completely compromised.

For the record, Nigeria according to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) remains the sixth largest oil producing nation in the world but in a disturbing paradoxical juxtaposition, the same country (Nigeria), is also the highest importer of petroleum products in the world.

Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) remains the only government agency saddled with the responsibilities of petroleum importation in Nigeria. Though there are several subsidiaries who are directly under the salient supervision and control of the NNPC.

So, if a government has failed in its responsibility as a government. Having equally thrown the governed into a serious state of hardship, should there also be any justifications to further inflict agony and consistently subject citizens into perpetual suffering?

On this note, EnergyDay calls for the sack of the group managing director of NNPC and the entire management.

This is the only way to assuage the feelings of Nigerians, and government must compensate those whose vehicles are damaged by the toxic fuels and every other forms of injurious claims that may arise thereof