Reps commences nationwide petrol quality investigation amidst toxic fuel concerns
Adewale Akintaro
The House of Representatives has disclosed plans to carry out a holistic probe into Nigeria’s petroleum products supply chain and the quality of imported and refined products around the country.
The move may not be unconnected to the ongoing feud between Dangote Refinery and NNPC Limited, aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and security in the nation’s petroleum sector.
The investigation was disclosed in Port Harcourt, during the 2024 Midstream and Downstream Retreat, organized by the House Committee on Petroleum Resources Midstream and Downstream, with the theme “Enhancing Regulatory Frameworks, Promoting Transparency, and Fostering Sustainable Development in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector.”
Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Barr. Ikenga Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, said the retreat would provide strategic insights into the nation’s petroleum sector, emphasizing the sector’s role in the nation’s economy and the legislature’s responsibility to ensure its transparency.
Ikeagwuonu revealed that the House has mandated both committees to investigate the crude oil supply chain, involving detailed laboratory investigations at local refineries, marketers, importers, and regulatory agencies.
He said the committee will also visit filing stations, depots, and tank farms to verify the quality of imported petroleum products and assess the testing capacity of refineries.
“The committee will undertake detail laboratory investigation at all local refineries, marketers, importers and regulatory agency lab like NMDPRA. We will visit various filing stations, depot and tank farms to verify the quality of imported petroleum products and assess the testing capacity of all refineries
“The collection of this samples will be for specimen and will be transparently done with all the key stakeholders.
“Zonal interaction committees will be constituted in order to ensure smooth movement to all the zones of the country for the purpose of taking samples for the Depot, Tank Farms and refineries for immediate analysis.
“We urge all those to be invited to provide full cooperation and support by providing all necessary documents, facts and insights that would aid our investigation.
“Our investigation will proceed in phases beginning with examination of standards petroleum products that are imported into the country and the crude oil supply chain. This investigation that the house has ordered us the main reason we are at this retreat to brainstorm on how to proceed and this investigation is crucial for restoring trust and ensuring the security and quality Nigeria petroleum sector in line with the renewed hope agenda of the president
“We are committed to accountability and transparency and thoroughness, and that we will do throughout the process. The investigation aims at to identify and resolve the issues plaguing Nigeria petroleum sector.
“Our interaction with stakeholders in the Midstream and Downstream sectors is crucial. It is through this interaction we will gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by our industry and collaboratively decide ways to ensure growth and sustainability.
