The management of Oando Plc, a major marketing oil company, has faulted claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited that the company was among four suppliers that imported adulterated fuel into Nigeria.
The NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, had on Wednesday night said the state-owned oil company on January 20, 2022, received a report from its quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in Premium Motor Spirit cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.
He further explained the methanol-blended petrol was imported into the country by the suppliers through four cargoes under its Direct Sales Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement.
Kyari listed the companies that imported the sub-standard fuel as MRS, Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium, Oando, and Duke Oil.
Refuting the allegation, in a statement signed by the company secretary, Ayotola Jagun, Oando claimed it never imported contaminated petrol into the country as alleged by Kyari and was never involved in such.
The oil marketer maintained that the PMS it supplied met Nigeria’s import specification, adding, however, that it is committed to work with the NNPC to identify the root cause(s) of the subsequent contamination of the PMS supplied.
Oando stated: “Following media reports listing Oando as one of four importers that supplied methanol-blended Premium Motor Spirits into the country, we hereby state that Oando did not import and supply PMS that was adulterated or substandard.
“The PMS supplied by Oando met Nigeria’s import specification. We are committed to working assiduously with the NNPC and industry to identify the root cause(s) of the subsequent contamination of the PMS supplied.
“We want to assure the public that Oando as a responsible corporate citizen would not partake in the importation, distribution, or marketing of substandard petroleum products”, it assured.
