TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered 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 issued on Thursday by Garba Shehu, his senior special assistant on media and publicity.

On Wednesday night, Mele Kyari, general managing director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, said MRS, Oando, Emadeb Consortium, and Duke Oil, a subsidiary of NNPC, were the suppliers of the contaminated products.

According to the president, the persons involved must “be held accountable for substandard services and or products sold by them”.

The president also directed 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.”

On Wednesday, Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources,said the federal government will investigate the supply of adulterated premium motor spirit (petrol).

According to him, the decision to probe followed a briefing on the issue to President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday to get to the bottom of the matter.