Adulterated Fuel: Calling for Resignation of NNPC, NMDPRA Bosses Baseless – Group

The Integrity Youth Alliance, a civil society organisation, says calling for resignation of Chief Executive Officers of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is baseless.

A pro-Nigeria civil society organisation known as Nigeria First, had asked NMDPRA, CEO, Mr Farouk Ahmed, to resign, due to the recent importation of adulterated petrol to the country.

The group and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) had also asked the NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr Mele Kyari, to resign within seven days.

Reacting to this, the Integrity Youth Alliance on Saturday in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mr Kelvin Adegbenga and the Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr  Adewole Kehinde, said that the call was not necessary.

Kehinde said that rather than calling for the resignation of the two heads of the agencies, Nigerians should prevail on the federal government to go a step further by establishing an independent, arms-length and expert-led compensation committee.

He noted that the committee would review the fuel importation record, evaluate public claims, mandate culpable importers to pay into a compensation fund irrespective of how highly placed they may be, and then distribute such funds to the public with cogent and verifiable claims.

He also emphasised on an urgent need for more stringent environmental provisions in the Direct Sale of Crude Oil and Direct Purchase of Petroleum Product Agreements.

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He underscored the need for transparency and consistency in the negotiation, approval and implementation of all Direct Sales of Crude Oil and Direct Purchase of Petroleum Product Agreements.

“On the part of the government, there is a need to make provision for adequate capacity and resources in terms of modern equipment, resources and training needed by regulatory institutions to effectively spot and deter illegal imports and return them to the source.

“There is also the need to strengthen the surveillance and monitoring structures in place so that Nigeria could easily detect such violations of standards before they enter into the domestic supply chains,” he added.

The Integrity Youth Alliance, among other mandates, dwells on oil and gas industry at the community level, especially on sensitisation to the dangers of bunkering and environmental impacts. (NAN)