The Federal Government has met with officials of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in its bid to meet the energy needs of Nigerians.
In 2021, the government launched the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), a joint project of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), aimed at promoting the deployment of natural gas technology across the country.
In furtherance of the project, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ambassador Nicholas Ella, had two separate meetings with the Director-General of the NDE, Dr Silas Agara and the President of ALGON, Honourable Aminu Muazu Maifata, in Abuja, a statement issued by the ministry said.
Amb. Ella said the essence of the gas expansion programme was to deliver cleaner and sustainable energy to every nook and cranny of Nigeria, while promoting inclusion of all strata of society.
He noted that the deployment of natural gas infrastructure to the 774 local government areas of the country remains the priority of the Federal Government.
“The national gas expansion programme will stimulate socioeconomic activities in our rural and urban centres,” Amb Ella said.
The Permanent Secretary added that the NDE, with its skills acquisition centres spread across the country, could mobilise and train youths in the ongoing conversion of automobile vehicles from premium motor spirit (PMS) to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles.
Speaking further on the opportunities that the programme offers, the Chairman of the National Gas Expansion Programme, Professor Mohammed Ibrahim, said engaging youths in the conversion of vehicles to CNG-powered vehicles would provide jobs and boost the government’s revenue base.
He explained that gas, aside from being used as an alternative source of energy, could be used in the production of fertilisers, medicine and fabrics.
Prof Ibrahim said manpower is needed for the conversion of 30 million cars in Nigeria to CNG-powered vehicles, thereby reducing the enormous pressure on the use of PMS as source of energy.
“We can empower welders, artisans in the gas industry. We want to build local competencies and skills in areas where there are coal deposits in the country, because it has been established that such areas have gas deposits too,” the NGEP chairman said.
On the issue of funding, Prof Ibrahim said Nigeria’s successful bid for the hosting of the $5 billion Africa Energy Bank in Abuja would deal with funding challenges in oil and gas projects.
In his response, the Director-General of NDE, Dr Silas Agara, said his agency’s 120 skills acquisition centres would train the needed manpower for the CNG-powered vehicles.
Accompanied by management staff of the NDE, Dr Agara said he was excited to partner with the petroleum ministry with a view to actualising the Federal Government’s gas infrastructure project to promote energy security.
ALGON president, represented by his Chief of Staff, Shehu Marshal, said the collaboration between the Federal government and the local council areas could not have come at a better time given the recent judgement of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to the third tier of government.
“ALGON is ready to partner with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources on this laudable project. Now that we are independent, we have the mandate of the association to go into this partnership,” Hon Maifata said.
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