Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, has apologized to Nigerians over the hardships caused by the importation of substandard Premium Motor Spirit, known as petrol.
Kyari, who appeared before the House of Representatives in Abuja on Wednesday, February 16, stated that they never knew the product contained methanol.
He expressed hope of fuel scarcity ending in the country by next week.
In his words:
“I was very clear during my first media review, and let me also repeat, again, for this purpose: first, we did not know that this product contained methanol. We absolutely did not know and your investigation will give you the reality at the end of the tunnel. Once you have this situation and you withdraw volumes in the market, you will have supply disruption and it comes with consequences.
“We are very conscious of the consequences that will come with it – the queues that you are seeing, the disruption of the economic activities that are very obvious, and the liquidated damages that can be a legal process where you may not even be able to recover your possession. So, we are aware of this. We regret this situation and it is completely unavoidable. We didn’t see it coming. I have apologised to Nigerians that we didn’t see it coming.”
By Feranmi Okuku
