Reps Rejects Committee’s Report On Adulterated Fuel

The House of Representatives yesterday rejected the report of its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) which investigated the importation and distribution of adulterated Premium Motor Spirit PMS, also known as petrol into the country.

It said the recommendations of the committee did not tally with the House resolutions as well as its findings and asked the committee to do more legislative work on the investigation before resubmitting the report for consideration.

The committee had recommended that “due to the sudden withdrawal of the Methanol-Blended PMS from distribution under the quarantine measures emplaced by Nigerian National Petroleum Comapny (NNPC), and the subsequent supply gap and distribution challenges created, NNPC should be fast in restoring the stability of PMS supply and distribution across the country”.

It said the NNPC, in conjunction with Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) should undertake the recertification and revalidation of in-country volumes for immediate releases to the market.

The report also noted that to accelerate distribution, NNPC must start a 24-hour operation at its depots and retail outlets, while Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Deport Owners Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) should start a 24-hour wading and dispensing activities in some of their designated outlets.

It added that the NNPC Monitoring Team, in collaboration NMDPRA and security agencies, should ensure smooth distribution of PMS nationwide.

But the lawmakers were not happy with the report.

They said it felt short of their expectations as it did not address the terms of reference given to the committee.