Northern youths write to Tinubu demanding removal of NMDPRA chief

Northern youths also gave Ahmed a seven-day ultimatum to step down or they will launch mass action.

The Northern Youth Coalition has demanded the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), En Farouk Ahmed.
The youths made this known in a letter to President Bola Tinubu.

Northern youths also gave Ahmed a seven-day ultimatum to step down or they will launch mass action. The demand comes as the agency is under intense scrutiny over its handling of petroleum product imports and regulations.

The coalition, in an open letter signed by its spokesman Muhammed Saad Aboki, alleged that Ahmed faces numerous allegations, including economic sabotage linked to the importation of petroleum products containing high levels of dangerous compounds.

The letter read: “The above organisations, with heavy hearts, write to inform you of our resolve to demand the removal of the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), Engineer Farouk Ahmed.”

“This has become necessary after a thorough and exhaustive investigation into all that has recently transpired in relation to the Chief Executive Officer. We have come across a number of allegations against him, which are listed below.

“As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the oil and gas industry regulatory body, he issued licences to traders who regularly import diesel into Nigeria with high sulphur content (about 1800ppm and 2000ppm respectively) despite being fully aware that such products pose serious health risks and huge financial risks meaning losses to the country.

“The reckless and thoughtless statements made public without prior investigation, which emboldened the public, have caused further tension in the country amid ongoing anti-government protests. “A deliberate violation of the Petroleum Industry Act (Article 109) which stipulates domestic crude supply obligations to ensure that local refineries receive their crude oil quotas without being strangled.

“They continue to insist on continued import of fuel because they claim ownership of Malta’s refineries/blending plants, but this is an act of economic sabotage as the imported products have been found to contain high levels of dangerous compounds.

Through abuse of power and using his position as CEO of the regulatory body, he has undermined local refineries, hindering their operation and survival, knowing full well that his existence will reduce the demand for foreign exchange and strengthen the naira. This is being concealed under the pretext that these refineries are producing inferior products while imported products are inferior. ”

The letter went on to say: “In light of this unfortunate and extremely shameful development, the Northern Youths Coalition has unanimously resolved to demand the removal of Engineer Farouk Ahmed in order to provide a neutral platform for a proper investigation into the various allegations made against him. The charges can be brought to justice. We strongly believe that only with him out of the picture can a thorough investigation be carried out without impeding or prejudicing the process.

“Sir, you will agree that the time has come to punish the perpetrators of bribery and corruption, unprofessionalism and incompetence in order to have a deterrent effect and in line with President Tinubu’s New Hope Agenda for making Nigeria a better nation.

“Against this backdrop, the Coalition of Northern Youth Organisations is calling on Nigerians to occupy the NMDPRA headquarters every day from Wednesday, August 28, 2024 until Mr Farouq Ahmed resigns or is sacked for inflicting pain on Nigerians and “incited Nigerians” against President Bola Tinubu’s New Agenda for Hope.”