Opinion

Contaminated Fuel: Who Is To Blame, How Do We Move Forward?

Published

3 years ago

Feb 15, 2022.

By Cynthia Nwoke

A few weeks ago, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, indicated that the Federal Government had ordered an investigation to unravel the circumstance surrounding the importation and supply of contaminated PMS.

Recall that the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, to speak about the problem on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, during a late-night press briefing in Abuja. He explained how the contaminated Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was imported into Nigeria from Belgium as well as the oil companies that imported it. In his briefing, he explained that the presence of Methanol in four PMS cargoes imported by its DSDP suppliers was responsible for the contamination. He also mentioned the vessels and their respective suppliers, to with – MT Bow Pioneer by MRS; MT Torm Hilde by Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium; MT Elka Apollon by Oando and MT Nord Gainer by Duke Oil.

While the fuel queues were getting longer and retail outlets are running out of PMS to sell to the public, the marketers and the NNPC have been trading blames in various press releases. MRS has in a publication, stated: “NNPC is the sole supplier of all PMS in Nigeria. Consequently, the NNPC through their trading arm, Duke Oil, supplied a cargo of PMS purchased from international trader LITASCO and delivered it with Motor Tanker (MT) Nord Gainer. This vessel discharged in Apapa between the 24 and 30 of January 2022.

Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Britinna-U, Consortium came out with two press releases. One signed by Emadeb on behalf of the Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi stating that it was not responsible for the importation of the particular cargo mentioned in NNPC’s Press Release. It fingered Brittania-U as responsible.

In response to this Press Release,Brittania-U stated in its Press Release dated 11 February 2022 that while it did import the specific cargo mentioned by NNPC, it was certified as on spec quality by the NNPC, the NMDPRAand its international quality inspectors. In denying involvement, Brittania-U went on to state that their cargo, MT Torm Hilde discharged its products through five daughter vessels that arrived and loaded PMS during January 4 to January 19, 2022. It noted that the products were duly certified as meeting NNPC product specifications. It said more significantly that all PMS from its mother vessel named MT Torm Hilde was discharged with relevant certificates of quality after laboratory analysis.

“In order to clear our company’s name, we have made all the documents available, which clearly exonerated our company from the negative publications making the rounds, all aimed at trying to tarnish our image”.

Oando on 11 February 2022 also stated that it is not responsible for the contaminated PMS and that the PMS it imported met NMDPRA’s import specifications. Duke Oil who is a wholly owned subsidiary of NNPC is yet to make a statement.

MOMAN Chairman, Olumide Adeosun, disclosed in a press conference confirmed that a certain amount of methanol had made its way to the supply chain of PMS and MOMAN members “had been aware of this in the background, and our members have been working across the different stages making sure the products were segregated and did not make their way to the pool, and making sure goods in transit that had left the station did not get into tanks and making sure the goods already in tanks did not make its way to consumers engines”. “In some instances, we had about 136 reported cases of issues with cars, and we addressed all of them,”

Now some facts have emerged:

The PMS imported into Nigeria at the time contained high levels of Methanol, and this substance was not tested by NNPC.
According to NNPC, the contaminated PMS came in four Cargoes – MT Bow Pioneer MT Torm Hilde, MT ElkaApollon and MT Nord Gainer. All these cargoes originated from LITASCO’s refinery in Antwerp, Belgium.
While the Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikificonsortium denied importing the high methanol content PMS placing the responsibility on a Consortium Member- Brittania-U
Brittania-U has through its Press Release, taken responsibility for the importation of the MT Torm Hilde, but argued that it was certified on spec.
Duke Oil has not released any statement on the issue. Oando on the other hand has denied importing any contaminated PMS.
Ardova Plc says it recorded 136 reported cases of car issues.

While the marketers continue to trade blames, the question on the lips of concerned Nigerians is, who then should take full responsibility for this contaminated PMS that has caused pains and embarrassment to Nigerians?

As Petrol shortage shows no sign of abating in the country, many retail stations remained shut and long queues prevailed in the few filling stations that had the commodity, particularly Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, Port Harcourt.

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