Minister lauds NIPCO’s investment in gas infrastructure
By Fredrick Wright
Thee Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has commended NIPCO Plc’s commitment to the development of requisite infrastructure to enhance effective utilization of the nation’s gas resources
Sylva disclosed this when he visited NIPCO exhibition stand at the two -day National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) Consultative Forum hosted by Imo State Government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources in Owerri, Imo State.
The minister who was received by the Assistant General Manager, Corporate
Affairs of NIPCO Plc, Lawal Taofeek, expressed delight by the enormous
resources the company has invested in the Gas Sector aside the giant
impacts it has made in white products retail business in Nigeria.
He acknowledge NIPCO’s support for his ministry’s initiative to encourage
a timely switch to gas as a viable alternative energy source in the Country
being championed by the National Gas Expansion Programme [NGEP] under the
leadership of Dr Mohamed Ibrahim ,whom he described as a colossus in the
nation’s hydrocarbon industry .
He stated that the Federal Government is vigorously pursuing its gas
agenda, noting that the NGEP would impact positively on Nigerian economy.
Beaming with smiles all through the inspection, the minister expressed deep
pleasure in NIPCO’s support to the government’s initiative of encouraging
switch to gas as viable alternative energy source in the country.
.
Welcoming the minister and his entourage including the Speaker, Imo State
House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Paul Emeziem who represented Governor Hope
Uzodimma, Lawal recalled the enormous support received from the former
Minster of Energy ,HRH Edward Daukoru whom Sylva worked with as Special
Assistant
.
“He was very much involved in the company’s emergence as one of the
three firms granted licenses to develop Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
infrastructures and gas dispensing outlets to enable motorists have
alternative energy sources apart from white products in 2009 ” he said..
He noted that the development , resulted in the company’s inauguration of
eight CNG stations in Benin, Edo State and Ibafo, Ogun State and further
putting up of the biggest gas compression plant in West Africa in Ogun
State.
According to Lawal , NIPCO,s intervention in the Gas Sector also birthed
the construction of about 10,500 MT LPG storage facility saying that since
the inauguration of NGEP by the Minister in January 2020 the company has key
into the project and determined to offer meaningful support to enhance
massive switch to gas as energy source for vehicles and industrial concerns.
In the realm of LPG as domestic cooking fuel, he informed that the company
had last year launched an LPG skid expansion scheme requesting partnership
with persons and families with virgin lands for long lease or outright sales
to develop and install skids in conformity with Department of Petroleum
Resources [DPR] regulations.
He added that the scheme offers veritable opportunity for deepening LPG
usage across the country through access to the product expecially in
residential areas at competitive rates
According to him , the scheme, which has received tremendous support across
the country has boosted NIPCO’s LPG footprints in over 18 states and the
Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In his remarks ,the Chairman NGEP committee, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim commended
NIPCO Plc for its tremendous impacts in the Gas Sector saying the company
offers renewed hope in harnessing the nation’s gas potentials .
He said as the preferred global energy source , Nigeria cannot afford to
wait any longer to derive the inherent benefits of the impending gas
revolution over fossil fuels.
