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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Amid the clamour for good governance and reduction in the cost of living in the country, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo has restated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ‘s commitment to Gas development as a pathway to economic prosperity.
Ekpo who was in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on a working visit to facilities and projects of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), stated that Nigeria is endowed with vast natural gas resources of about 209 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, emphasizing the necessity to harness these resources effectively to drive economic development.
He underlined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unalloyed support to the gas sector, with initiatives extending to the entire value chain, notably gas development, distribution, and penetration.
He listed some of the key initiatives his ministry is pursuing to include investments in critical gas infrastructure development to support the transportation and distribution of natural gas across the country, promotion of domestic gas utilization for power generation, industrial applications, and transportation as well as strengthening NCDMB’s capacity to build capacity and enforce local content policies.
Other laudable initiatives reeled out by the Minister include encouraging and supporting gas-to-power projects to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of electricity, expanding Nigeria’s capacity to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to international markets, generating revenue and positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global gas market and strengthening the policy and regulatory frameworks governing the gas sector to create an enabling environment for investment and innovation.
‘’We want the living standard of our people to be bearable because with gas we can drive the economy of the nation. In the decade of gas, we are looking at gas gas-driven economy by the year 2030, this is part of the project. So, I encourage the Executive Secretary and all the directors to work hand in hand to deliver on the mandate that Mr president has given, we know Mr president meant well for this nation to drive our economy through gas, and we have abundant supply.
‘’I talk about the CNG which they are aware of, the importance of CNG, and the reason why we need to go that route, it is cleaner, it is safer and it is cheaper than PMS.
Ekpo commended NCDMB for the remarkable strides it had made in promoting local content and for constructing the magnificent 17-storey headquarters building, which signifies the impressive growth and depth of local capacity.
In his welcome remarks, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe thanked the Minister for visiting the Board’s facilities and assured him of the commitment of the management and staff of the Board to supporting the Federal Government’s economic aspirations.
