In order to await the resolution of ongoing enquiries into accusations made against the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the House of Representatives has demanded that the Chief Executive of the organisation be placed on leave.
The demand came after Hon. Esosa Iyawe adopted a resolution of urgent public concern to address the impact from purportedly careless remarks attributed to the NMDPRA Chief Executive. In order to minimise engine damage and lower air pollution, Hon. Iyawe stressed the vital role that fuel quality plays in affecting engine hardware and urged the adoption of ultra-low sulphur diesel in a variety of industries.
“Governments worldwide have set stringent standards to minimize sulfur emissions, given the severe environmental and health risks posed by sulfur dioxide, which can harm the respiratory system, impair lung function, and even cause cancer,” Hon. Iyawe noted. He emphasised that, as long as ECOWAS gives its approval, local refiners are allowed to produce diesel with a maximum sulphur concentration of 650 parts per million (ppm) under the NMDPRA till January 2025.
Citing sulphur content levels ranging from 650 to 1,200 parts per million, Hon. Iyawe accused the NMDPRA Chief Executive of making recent statements that diesel produced at the Dangote refinery was inferior to fuel imported. In contrast, imported samples had sulphur levels of 1800 ppm and 2000 ppm, respectively, and Dangote’s diesel had a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm, according to a later test overseen by members of the House of Representatives.
Hon. Iyawe stated “These findings contradict the NMDPRA Chief Executive’s statements and raise concerns about the issuance of licenses to traders importing high-sulfur diesel into Nigeria, posing significant health risks and financial losses to Nigerians.”
