President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended over the decision to order an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the importation of contaminated fuel into the country.
The Movement for the Implementation of Methanol Fuel in the Niger Delta (MIMFND), which gave the commendation, said the outcome of the investigation should be made public and any officials indicted by the outcome of the investigation be held responsible and made to face the consequences of their actions in order to serve as a deterrent to others that undermine the policies of this administration.
The National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Stephen Okenarhe in a statement said: “Article 1.2. (background) of the policy, states clearly that “In order to facilitate effective and efficient utilization of the country’s huge deposits of gas reserves, reduce gas flaring and environmental pollution, the introduction of methanol fuel technology has become very imperative.
“Also, the article further states that, the use of Methanol fuel in Nigeria is anticipated to make a significant impact on petroleum products quality enhancement … other anticipated benefits are: additional tax revenue for the government from economic activities attributed to the industry; job creation, increased economic development and empowerment of rural communities; raw materials beneficiation and spin-off industries from increased research and development activities in the industry; energy and environmental benefits.
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“It is on record that in January of 2021, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and DSV Engineering signed the Final Investment Decision (FID) for the construction of 10,000 tonnes/day methanol production plant by the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Company Ltd (BFPCL), committing equity investment of US$670m. The project is estimated to cost about US$3.5bn”.
“The above contravenes article 1.3. (structure of Programme) of the policy, because Phase 1 of the policy, which is “seeding the market” is yet to commence. This is a case of ‘putting the cart before the horse’. Why should the Ministry of Petroleum resources be involved in the improper implementation of the policy? How are they carrying along with the general public and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the policy implementation process aimed at technology acquisition and domestication?
“Are we not making the same mistakes we made in the crude oil sector, where refineries were built without domesticating appropriate and adequate technological know-how for turnaround maintenance and upgrade? This is why our refineries are presently not functioning, necessitating the importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), leading to the hardship and pains presently experienced by citizens. This is an embarrassment to Nigeria and a very disturbing development that must be addressed.
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“The sad side of this drama is the consistent breach of the provisions of the policy by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), where the Chief Executives of these organisations have recently not minced words in letting Nigerians know that the PMS imported into the country is blended with methanol.
“What is most disturbing, is the fact that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NMDPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, stated that “the component that was in excess was methanol; what we agreed was that for every 200 litres of the affected volume, we need about 800 litres to blend. The issue is the quality; it is not toxic. It is not something that can destroy the environment. It is just a matter of how its effect on machinery like vehicles.” Whereas, the National Policy on Methanol Fuel Production Technology strongly supports the setting up of blending plants in Nigeria, for the production of methanol blended fuel.”
“The policy is against the importation of methanol blended PMS. Companies interested in the production of methanol blended fuel, should set up their blending plants in Nigeria, and not indulge in the importation of methanol blended fuel. Also, the blending process should be supported by ‘in country’ research and development, based on the Nigerian environment. The policy further supports strongly the acquisition and domestication of appropriate technologies in order to achieve a sustainable methanol driven economy.
“From the foregoing, we wish to ask Mr. Farouk Ahmed to tell us when it was approved that methanol should be included as a component of imported PMS meant for consumption in Nigeria? He should equally tell us which standard will be followed during his proposed blending process and when the standard was set, and by who? Let it be on record that MIMFiND will not sit and fold her hands and watch anyone thwart or frustrate the process of the proper implementation of the National policy on methanol fuel production technology.
“Their actions have undermined the provisions of the policy and the collective interest of Nigerians, which is an embarrassment to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. On a final note, we assure President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR that we are solidly in support of his administration’s quest for a methanol driven economy, urging him not to relent, notwithstanding the challenges that may be encountered.”
