*As NCAA summons marketers to crucial meeting
Ongoing allegations and counter allegations by oil marketers over the conversion of domestic kerosene to aviation fuel, have opened a new chapter in Nigeria’s air safety challenges.
This is coming after five years of safe flights in the nation’s airspace, due mainly to the efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), airline operators and other stakeholders.
Aviation experts who craved anonymity, told BusinessDay last night that the allegation portends great danger to air safety in the country, as aviation fuel or kerosene, not properly stored and eventually used constitutes a great safety hazard.
The last major air accident in Nigeria happened on October 29, 2006, involving an ADC Airline Boeing 737-200 plane, which claimed 96 lives, including four crew and 92 passengers. The aircraft was departing Abuja Airport for Sokoto when the accident occurred.
Worried by the development, the nation’s apex aviation regulator, NCAA, yesterday summoned a crucial meeting with oil marketers, over the alleged unwholesome act of the sale of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dual Purpose Kerosene, meant for household use as Jet-A1 (aviation fuel) to airlines by SO Aviation.
The NCAA it was learnt, summoned SO Aviation, Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria (MOMAN) and the Association of Petroleum Products Marketers, to explain the details of the allegation which it considered very weighty, according to sources close to the authority.
The Petroleum Marketers had alleged in an advertorial addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan, in major newspapers yesterday, that Sahara Energy, owners of SO Aviation had been “ raking in a staggering sum of USD 43 million in profit on a monthly basis, from the sales of the Kerosene (DPK) allocation bought from the NNPC at N40.90k per litre, which they sell to the airlines as imported aviation fuel, at N152 per litre”.
They noted “ There is a clear and present danger in this corrupt and unscrupulous act”.
According to the petroleum marketers, “ Though aviation fuel and DPK are similar, they have different specifications. Aviation fuel requires expertise in its handling and distribution because of safety concerns”, adding “We have checked in the international market, particularly in the Lloyds list and we have found out that SAHARA ENERGY has never imported aviation fuel in recent times solely for sale to the airlines operators of Nigeria”.
The bodies therefore called for an high powered probe panel to verify their claims, so as not to endanger the lives of air travelers, due to the inherent danger the use of domestic kerosene could cause in its continued use for the propulsion of aircraft engines, as against the technically approved Jet-A1.
Harold Demuren, Director- General of NCAA, who confirmed receipt of the protest letters and the summoning of Sahara Energy, said the meeting was called to hear from both parties, the authenticity of the allegation.
Demuren added that it was unbelievable that a marketer would be selling Kerosene to airlines when there were checks and balances put in place to ensure that approved products were supplied to airlines.
Sources close to the meeting told BusinessDay last night that the meeting which held at the headquarters of the NCAA in Lagos, would continue today and that the allegation borders on safety of lives and billions of naira worth of property and needed to be given priority attention.
In an advertorial published today, Sahara Energy denied the allegations, saying the products it supplied met both national and international specifications, including specifications as determined by AFRQJOS and DESTAN standards.
The firm also stated that it was not the sole importer of Kerosene for the NNPC, adding “ SO Aviation is not in the business of diverting products of any kind in any form or manner.”
Mohammed Tukur, spokesman, Airlines Operators of Nigeria(AON) said the allegation was very weighty because there were technical checks and balances put in place by airlines to ensure that they did not lift adulterated fuel or unapproved fuel for the safe operations of their aircraft.
He called for the immediate setting up of a presidential panel or a panel by the NCAA with AON representatives, to look into the veracity of the allegation.
