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Reps Grill MRS, Emadeb, Jay Maikifi, Others Over Bad Fuel
The House of Representatives, yesterday, began the probe of importers and suppliers over the contaminated fuel that has caused chaos and scarcity across the country.
The House grilled two companies, MRS and a consortium of four companies, including Emadeb, Hyde, Jay Maikifi and Brittania-U, who were fingered as the suppliers of the fuel by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company(NNPC) Limited.
Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) handling the probe, Hon Abdullahi Gaya, at the session, said the probe as mandated by the House was necessary to ascertain the circumstances of the importation of the toxic fuel and evolve measures to forestall future occurrence.
Appearing before the committee, MRS denied importing contaminated fuel into the country.
Represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Amina Maina, the company said they were certified by NNPC on the importation.
“We received a letter, inviting us to this public hearing in regards to the alleged contamination of fuel imported into the country. So, that’s the reason why we are here.
“We are here to clarify the issues regarding the importation of fuel. I think the MD of NNPC was here, and he did clarify that the fuel which we imported was not out of the specification or adulterated.
“Yes, there has been a lot of conversations regarding whether or not we brought in fuel which is contaminated.
“Let me state that there is an approved specification of PMS which is imported into Nigeria.
“That specification is in the product we brought in. And I think the GMD of NNPC, attested to the fact that the product which we brought was tested, and it met Nigeria’s specifications.
“On arrival, it was tested by the NNPC inspectors, and it met the specification before the vessel was discharged.
“The normal procedure is that the NDMPR would normally have their own inspectors to test and certify what was discharged, and all of that was done, and certified Ok before the vessel was discharged.
“So, we did not bring in any adulterated fuel,” Maina said.
In his ruling, Gaya asked the company to produce all relevant documents backing up their oral presentation.
“I think in our letter we said you should give us all relevant documents from the beginning to the end.
“Honourable colleagues, this is just to engage the NNPC and the downstream for them to explain and give us documents.
“We have already informed them that after going through the documents, we are going to invite them again to come, so that if we have any other thing to verify, they will have to tell us.
“For now, it is just for them to explain and give us the document. If there is need to call her back, then, we will call her back,” he said.
Also testifying before the panel, the leader of the Consortium, including Emadeb, Hyde, Jay Maikifi and Brittania-U, Mr. Adebowale Olujimi, said that Britannia-U handled the importation.
He said: “On June 16, 2021, the Consortium members executed a consortium agreement, which defined the rotational responsibilities of members, sequential alternate crude lifting/petroleum product delivery and indemnification of other members against liabilities, claims, etc., that may arise during a member’s underperformance or failure to perform under the DSDP contract.
“The Consortium was awarded the DSDP contract on June 22, 2021 by NNPC.
“The delivery of the petroleum product and crude lifting have been done strictly on a rotational basis by the respective consortium members.
“Some of the Consortium members – Emadeb/Hyde and AY Maikifi— immediately engaged a reputable international company for 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 are attached for references.
“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 also 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.”
Explaining herself to the panel on the circumstances of the importation, the Chief Executive Officer, Brittania-U, Uju Ifejirika, said that their product met the approved specification.
“We have a DSDP contract with NNPC. We have done that for two and half years. This is our 10th cargo and none of our cargos were 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.
“Whoever that is importing for us, we must give that document to them, and based on that, they will do their own sample and our supplier do their sample, and they gave us the sample result, which we handed over to NNPC and NNPC confirmed it was Ok.
“Now, the second point of test; the cargo arrived at offshore, Lagos, the vessel tendered NOR.
“We transmitted that to NNPC, and they now appointed their inspector. That’s GMO while we have SEBOD. They now went offshore to test the product.
“When they finished testing the product, there is a joint certificate given by GMO, that is NNPC-nominated cargo inspector and our own.
“You can’t bring in the cargo without NNPC inspector jointly carrying out the test, and we presented it and it met specification. NNPC tested and gave us certificate, saying that the product met specification.
“Our product came in 4th of January, and there is no state that 77million litres will not finish it in our week.
“The normal legal position is that when you bring in a cargo and it moves from mother vessel to daughter vessel, custody transfers and at that point, we do not have any legal control over the product. And we have all our certificates.
“Now, they are saying that we brought in off-spec. At what point? You cannot have 90,000 metric tons and you came out with a press release on the February8, which was more than a month after this project came in.
“Did anybody call us? Was there any joint test between us and the NNPC? There was none.
“They did an independent inspection. What is the test result? We don’t have the test result as we speak today.
“We have all our documents and it met the Nigerian specification,” Ifejirika said.
Ruling on the matter, Gaya asked her to tender all relevant documents detailing her presentation.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged newly sworn-in chairman and members of the State House of Assembly Service Commission to achieve greater productivity, promote highest standard and insist on best practices in the discharge of Legislative services.
Governor Fubara also urged them to ensure that parliamentary staff are put through disciplinary conducts in the discharge of their duties in the service.
Governor Fubara gave the charge shortly after the chairman and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) Service Commission were sworn-in at the Executive Chamber of Government House in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
The Governor also sworn-in the chairman and members of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission.
Hon Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, is the chairman of RSHA, with Dr Kennedy Ebeku, Hon. Soberekon Clark, Hon. Jones Ogbonda, and Hon Kingston Sylvanus as members.
For the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, Hon GoodLife Ben will serve as the chairman, with Chief Emmanuel G. Jaja, Ms. Betty Warmate, Barrister Jerome Chimenem, Hon Prince O. Ohochukwu, Barrister Philip Okparaji, and Christian Amadi as members.
Governor Fubara explained that the constitution and swearing-in of the respective commissions were delayed with the hope that all former members of the political block will come back together but quickly added that such expectation is dashed now as governance has to move on.
He said: “As it stands now, our position is very clear. The ship that we are onboard is clear, and the activities of governance have to continue.
“So, this swearing-in is to give these two units of government – particularly, the House of Assembly Service Commission, a formal commission so that you can start carrying out the activities of promotion, discipline and every other thing that has to do with the legislative staff activity.”
Governor Fubara emphasised: “This assignment is not business as usual. You have to take full charge, and you have to ensure that there is discipline in the service.”
Speaking on the Local Government Service Commission, Governor Fubara said an acting Chairman was previously appointed to hold brief while the situation was being studied but quickly added that as it stands now, a full fledged commission has to be constituted to steer affairs.
Governor Fubara stated that the various Local Government Councils have been mandated to commence payment of the N85,000.00 Minimum Wage to their workers.
However, Governor Fubara said that mandate had met with series of complaints about ghost workers or inflated payroll staff list, which required proper scrutiny in order to ensure that only genuine workers benefit.
He said, “You must ensure that you support the Local Government Chairmen to get rid of those fake names in the payroll, so that when they implement the N85,000.00 Minimum Wage, it will not be too much burden on them.
“I am not saying you should go and dismiss people who are genuinely employed. Hear me very well: there must be proper scrutiny to be sure that whoever is there must be a genuine civil servant employed by the commission, and must have met all the conditions.”
Governor Fubara also directed the commission to address the issue of staff stagnation on a particular grade level, which is an ugly practice, and make sure those due promotion truly benefit from statutory progression in the service.
He said, “The second side is, you have the issue of promotion, you must also ensure that they are adequately promoted so that they can start enjoying like their counterparts in the mainstream.
“There is too much dragging of their promotion, for somebody to be on Grade Level 4 for over 30 years is not good. It is not good news.”
Governor Fubara maintained: “I believe strongly that you will not allow yourselves to be corrupted like those stories that we used to hear. Make sure that there is acceptable level of discipline and standard in the Local Government Service Commission.
“I also believe strongly that you are already prepared for this assignment, and since you are prepared, I will charge you to go do what you know how to do best. Be assured that the government will give you all the necessary support.”
Governor Fubara noted that the task before them could seem Herculean but they should be assured of support from his administration to drive the assignment given to them to reckonable success.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that the open dumping of wastes has to be replaced with a more innovative and efficient disposal method so that wastes can be taken off the streets and turned into income-yielding ventures.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while giving charge to the newly constituted Board of Directors of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) and its Managing Director at Government House in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
The Board members included Engr. Edward Namiesimagh as the chairman, while Hon. Bishop Best, Dr. Ipalibo Sogules, Richard Mazi, and Civian Y. Nwibari are members, with Hon. Orukwem Amadi-Oparaeli as the Managing Director.
Governor Fubara said waste disposal and management have remained a major global concern, adding that over the years, successive administrations in the State had struggled to take wastes off the streets but ended up taking them to other dumpsites where they constitute nuisance and environmental hazards.
He said, “Today, I am here putting a team together to look at these challenges differently. Let it not be the regular pattern whereby at the end of the month, you come to collect money from me for payments.
“Don’t indulge in appointing your friends as sweepers, evaluators of debris, then you start building hotels, or buying big cars. Let us go beyond that and tap into the potentials of waste management.
“It is an area in this world that there is so much money in. It is an area that creates employment, and generates huge revenue. It is not just depending on what I will give to you. Consider what change you’ll bring to the work, that’s what I want to see in Rivers State.”
Governor Fubara told them that they were carefully selected because of the experiences they had garnered in their previous public assignments, and urged them to replicate their successes on a bigger scale with the new appointment.
The Governor advised them to work assiduously to bring back the beauty of Port Harcourt with effective waste disposal drive, and ensure the city is clean and green to reflect its old Garden City status.
Governor Fubara emphasised: “If not for our effort, today, some people could have even changed it to become Garbage City. But God forbid, it is not going to be in our own time.
“I want you to understand that I feel very unhappy with the sight I see. When you are driving into Port Harcourt, one of the first things that will welcome you is the waste dump that you see along the Obiri-Ikwerre-Airport Road. I don’t feel happy about it.
“Your first task should be to relocate it. That particular place needs to be completely closed because it is the entrance to the city. You need to get a new place where we can relocate our wastes.”
Governor Fubara urged them to be more responsible as they discharge their assignment, saying that it is more important to see results than being merely preoccupied with the aura of office.
The Governor warned that he will not hesitate to relieve anyone found wanting, and return the agency back to the era of a sole administrator running the affairs of the agency.
He noted, “This team cuts across all the Senatorial Districts, so that whatever you are going to do there, you ensure it spreads. While you are also carrying out this job, let it be known to the world that the interest of everybody in the State is accommodated.
“It shouldn’t be one-sided. Make sure that all our supporters who have the capacity and competence to do little jobs in the refuse area are also accommodated. I am serious. I have no doubt that you are going to impress us. So, I charge you to do all you can to make sure that the face of Port Harcourt changes when it comes to the issue of refuse.”
Governor Fubara told them to be good ambassadors of his administration as they interface with members of the public while also changing the face of refuse management in the State.
In his acceptance speech, Chairman of Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Engr. Edward Namiesimagh, expressed appreciation to the Governor, on behalf of members of the Board, for finding them worthy to handle such difficult but surmountable task of keeping Port Harcourt clean.
He said, “When I see the calibre of people you assembled, all of us are happy, and I assure that with our period of experience in our fields and politics and interaction with people and the zeal that comes with this job, we assure you that we will do our best to make sure that the policy of restoring Port Harcourt to its lost glory is achieved with your support.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Saturday, graced the solemnization of Sacrament of Matrimony between Engr Victor Kii, and his heartthrob, Engr Mercy Mankwe.
Engr Kii is the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture.
The wedding ceremony was held at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), along the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway, Rumuibekwe in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
In his Homily, the Chief Celebrant, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev Matthew Hassan Kukah, said marriage is an enduring union, ordained by God for two persons – man and woman – who have decided in love to live their lives together.
Bishop Kukah stated that people in such Christian marriage should know that they are in an indissoluble union, bounded by faith, and advised them to gladly make personal sacrifices in tolerance and care for each other so that they can have a healthy, successful and rewarding life together.
In his vote of thanks, co-celebrant, Very Rev Monsignor Pius Kii, showered commendations on the Governor for his fatherly support to the family, and the numerous landmark achievements in various sectors across the State.
The clergy and the church took the opportunity to pray for the success and good health of Governor Fubara and his administration, and urged God to protect, guide and defend him at all times.
The church also presented 50th birthday cake and gifts to the Governor, and also sang birthday songs to accentuate the celebration.
Highlights of the event were the signing of the marriage register by the new couple, Victor and Mercy, and the cutting of the 50th Birthday cake by the Governor.