Brittania-U Kicks As Consortium Blames It For Dirty Fuel

They said the specifications were given to them by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and did not include testing for the substance.

The consortium of Emadab/Hyde/AY Maikifi blamed its member, Brittania-U, for the adulterated petrol.

But Brittania-U denied importing the toxic petrol.

It said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited certified the product okay and that its responsibility ended after it  handed over the product.

The consortium said since the toxic fuel was brought into the country by Brittania-U without its knowledge, the company should be made to answer questions.

The companies’ representatives appeared before a House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) investigating the importation of toxic petrol, which resulted in severe product scarcity.

Group Chief Operating Officer of MRS Holdings Amina Maina said based on the specification given to them, it was not the usual practice to test for methanol.

She said: “It is not in the Nigerian specification to test for methanol. I believe that the specification which we work with was issued by SON.

“It is their prerogative to decide what parameters they want us to check in line with global standards. To your question: is it normal? Yes, unless there is a specific need, you do not test for methanol.”

Maina said the product her company imported “met Nigeria’s specification”.

She added: “On arrival, it was tested by the NNPC inspectors; it met specification.

“Before the vessel was discharged, the normal procedure is that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) will have their inspectors test and certify before it is discharged.

“And all of that was done and certified okay before the vessel was discharged. We did not bring in any adulterated fuel.

“We have all the load port documents which are basically the certificate of quality at the load port, the certificate of quantity, the bill of laden; all the documents.”

The leader of the consortium, Adebowale Olujimi, said the toxic fuel was imported solely by Brittania-U without the knowledge of other members.

He said since the consortium was awarded the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) contract on June 22, 2021, by the NNPC, the delivery of the petroleum product and crude lifting had been done strictly on a rotational basis by the consortium members.

He said: “Some of the consortium members – Emadeb/Hyde and AY Maikifi engaged a reputable international company for the delivery of all PMS cargoes and prompt loading of crude oil; while Brittania-U chose to engage a different entity for her own supplies.

“Brittania-U also preferred to liaise directly with NNPC and took responsibility for all her transactions without recourse to the other consortium members.

“All evidence to substantiate Brittania-U’s position is attached for reference.

“The other consortium members – Emadeb/Hyde and AY Maikifi have successfully delivered 270,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), while Brittania U delivered 90,000MT PMS.

“The PMS alleged to be methanol-blended was solely delivered by Brittania-U via MT Torm Hilde in January 2022.

“The other consortium members — Emadeb/Hyde and AY Maikifi – were not privy to the arrangements for the delivery of the aforementioned PMS and documentary evidence relating to the PMS.

“It is worthy to mention that Brittania-U should be allowed to provide all answers to the controversy surrounding the importation of the PMS product.”

Chief Executive Officer of Brittania-U, Uju Ifejika, said the PMS imported her company met the specifications given to it and that all necessary tests were conducted.

She said: “We have done DSDP with NNPC for two and a half years, and we have brought in 10 cargoes.

“This is our tenth cargo and none of our cargoes was off-spec. And this particular one was not off-spec.

“Before a cargo will come in, there will be a test at the port of loading, which they did at Antwerp.

“This time, our supplier, Petraco, did their sample at Antwerp and they gave us their sample result which we gave to NNPC, and NNPC confirmed it was okay.

“The second point of the test is when the cargo arrived at offshore Lagos. The vessel tendered ‘Notice of Readiness’ of the vessel (that was) arriving.

“We sent it to NNPC officially and they appointed their inspector and the inspector then appointed his GMO.

“They went offshore to test the product. When they finished testing the product, there was a joint certificate given by GMO – that is NNPC-nominated – and our own.

“You can’t bring in the cargo without NNPC’s inspector jointly carrying out the initial test.

“The next stage was for NNPC, based on the fact that it met their specification; they – not us – nominated five daughter vessels to take from the mother vessel because the Nigerian water cannot take a 30-tonne vessel.

“When they got there, this time around, you were supposed to have the GMO, which is the NNPC inspector, our own inspector and DPR. This they did; they tested and gave us a certificate clearing us that the product met specifications.

“Our product came in 4th of January and the normal legal position is that when you bring in cargo and there is a movement, once the cargo moves from the mother vessel to the daughter vessel, custody is transferred.

“At that point, we do not have legal control over the product – where the product goes and what happens to it from the point of loading.

“We have our certificates from the DPR, PPMC, GMO and our inspector. Without the DPR, which is now NMDPRA, clearing it, you cannot discharge product.”

The Chairman of the committee, Abdullahi Gaiya, said the committee would study all documents obtained from the companies and decide on the next steps.

(Report, excluding headline: Nation)