By Arret Jatta
Testifying at the National Assembly Joint Committee of Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC), and Public Enterprise Committee (PEC) on Monday 2nd September 2024 about the $30 million petroleum saga, Momodou Hydara, the Managing Director of Jah Oil, told the committee that over 80% of fuel depot space was given to Apogee by Gam Petroleum while the Oil Marketing Companies (OMC)were denied depot space.
“Apogee was having almost over 80% of the space or more, and the OMCs couldn’t even have a space. Especially major OMCs like ourselves, who have been ordering well in this country regularly. And then it becomes very mind-blowing that any time we apply, we are rejected,” Mr Hydara told the committee.
He added that whenever they apply for depot space, it gets rejected even though there is available space.
“We apply, we are rejected. And even if there is space. So it was mind-blowing to realize that. It is wrong. It has never been done,” he lamented.
Notwithstanding, he said they have every right to order petroleum products because they are licensed to do so.
“The only place we have to store it is at the Depot. Now, here’s a situation whereby we cannot order petroleum products because you will not have space. The whole space has been occupied by a company that little is known about. In my opinion, if you cannot have a space and there is product in town, you have no option but to purchase or your fuel stations run dry,” he said.
He however stated that purchasing fuel from Apogee was untenable because they also have the right to order fuel.
“So the only option I got from the ministry was to give us an alternative to dump it in Senegal so that we can be transporting it over land, which we got,” he added.