The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to suspend the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, pending the investigation of allegations regarding his remarks about local refineries. The motion was introduced by Esosa Iyawe, highlighting the importance of addressing the impact of fuel quality on engine hardware and air pollution.
Farouk had claimed that diesel produced by the Dangote Refinery had high sulphur content, but a test supervised by the House of Representatives revealed otherwise. This sparked outrage from Nigerians, accusing Farouk of economic sabotage for disregarding local refineries. The unprofessional statements made by Farouk, without any prior investigation, have been condemned as unpatriotic.
The House has initiated investigations into Farouk’s allegations against Dangote Refinery and is conducting further inquiries into crude trading practices and product quality standards. The call for accountability and responsible regulation in the petroleum sector remains a priority for lawmakers.