The Coalition of Northern Youths Organization has demanded the sack of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed.
The youths made this known in a letter to President Bola Tinubu.
The northern youths further issued a seven-day ultimatum asking Ahmed to resign or face mass action.
The demand came as the Authority faces scrutiny over its handling of petroleum products’ importation and regulation.
The coalition, in an open letter signed by its spokesperson, Muhammed Saad Aboki, claimed that Ahmed faces multiple allegations, including economic sabotage related to the importation of petroleum products containing high levels of unsafe compounds.
The letter read: “With a bleeding heart, the above named organization writes to notify you of its resolve to call for the sack of Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Engineer Farouk Ahmed.
“This became necessary after a deep and thorough review of all that has happened recently, surrounding the Chief Executive Officer, which led us to a number of allegations leveled against him that are hereby under listed:
“As CEO of a regulatory body in the oil and gas industry, he was giving out licenses to some traders who regularly import high- sulphur content (of around 1800ppm and 2000ppm, respectively, diesel into Nigeria, knowing fully that such products pose grave health risks and huge financial losses for the country.
“Propagation of reckless and unguarded statements outage conducting any prior investigation, which sparked national courage, spread of further tension in the country amidst ongoing protest against the Government.
“Deliberately acting against Petroleum Industry Act (section 109) which introduced the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation to ensure that local refineries receive crude allocations without being strangled.
“Alleged possession of a refinery/blending plant in Malta, hence his continued insistence on the continued importation of fuel, which is an act of economic sabotage as the imported products have been shown to contain high levels of dangerous compounds.
“Abuse of office and using his position as Chief Executive Officer of a regulatory body to undermine local refineries and frustrate their operations and existence, knowing fully their existence will reduce demand for foreign exchange and strengthen Naira, hiding under the pretence of producing inferior products by these refineries, whereas it is the imported products that are inferior.”
The letter added: “In view of this unfortunate and rather shameful development, Coalition of Northern Youths has unanimously resolved to call for the sack of Engineer Farouk Ahmed to allow for a neutral ground on which a proper investigation into various allegations leveled against him will be conducted. We honestly believe it is only if he is not in the picture that thorough investigation will be carried out without any obstruction in the process or bias.
“Sir, you will concur with me that it is high time we started to punish the perpetrators of bribery and corruption, unprofessionalism and incompetency to serve as deterrence and also in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to make Nigeria a better nation.
“Against this backdrop, the Coalition of Northern Youth Organization is calling on Nigerians to come out and occupy NMDPRA headquarters daily from Wednesday 28th August 2024 until Engr Farouk Ahmed resigns or is sacked for inflicting suffering on Nigerians and inciting Nigerians against the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.”
