In order to avert similar occurrences that led to the recent shortage of petrol in the future, the House of Representatives has made some recommendations for consideration.
As reported on BizWatch Nigeria, more than 100 million litres of contaminated petrol were discovered in circulation, a development that consequently led to fuel scarcity across the country.
While several Nigerians, for weeks, struggled to secure fuel for consumption, many others had their vehicles damaged as a result of the bad petrol.
Filling stations that purchased the product for retailing purposes also suffered huge losses.
Filling station owners under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the largest operators of retail outlets across the country, described the losses incurred due to the purchase of the methanol-blended fuel as terrible.
However, while the lawmakers’ Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) which investigated the importation of adulterated petrol into the country failed to hold anyone responsible for the development, or suggest sanctions, it made recommendations for the purpose of averting future-related occurrences, and ensuring consumers’ safety.
See below the recommendations:
- The Committee recommended that the Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, should initiate the adoption of 2017 PMS Standard (NIS 116:2017) as approved by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria for future importation of the product into the country;
- That the Minister of Petroleum Resources should expedite action for completion of the rehabilitation work of the three major refineries at Warri, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna to boost local refining and reduce over-dependence on imported PMS into Nigeria;
- That the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) shall procure tracking devices to monitor the movement of trucks from all deports to their destinations across the country. This will mitigate smuggling and will make the product available for domestic use.
- The committee also recommended that the Federal Government shall position the SON to implement its mandate to the latter by subjecting all imported white petroleum and other products to the offshore conformity assessment.
- The SON is also to resume routine quality control for petrol and other products imported into the country at the various seaports, airports, and land borders throughout Nigeria as enshrined in the SON enabling Act of 2015.
- The committee further recommended that the Federal Government is to note that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria mandate is also specifically enshrined under item 62 (d) Part I of the Second Schedule (Exclusive List) to the 1999 Constitution;
- That the NNPC and NMDPRA shall double petrol National Reserve to at least 90 days and build depots across the six geopolitical zones to make products available for domestic use.
- That the NNPC shall maintain local supply and distribution of 90 million liters daily across the country until normalcy is restored.
