President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday directed that “producers and providers” of the off-spec petrol imported into the country must be held accountable.
The president issued the directive in a statement released on Thursday by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu.
On Wednesday, the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, named MRS, Oando, Emadeb Consortium, and Duke Oil, a subsidiary of NNPC, as the suppliers of the contaminated fuel.
Buhari said the persons involved must “be held accountable for substandard services and or products sold by them.”
He also ordered the relevant government agencies to “take every step in line with the laws of the country to ensure the respect and protection of consumers against market abuses and social injustices.”
“In a reaction to the issue of petroleum product shortages linked to the inadvertent supply of products of foreign origin into the Nigerian market, President Buhari said the protection of consumer interests is a priority of the present administration and is ready to take all necessary measures to protect consumers from hazardous products, loss or injuries from the consumption of substandard goods,” the statement reads in part.
“The President directed that in line with the law, service providers must make full disclosure of relevant information with respect to the consumption of their products and that dissatisfied consumers are entitled to a proper redress of their complaints.”
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had earlier said the federal government will investigate the supply of adulterated petrol.
