Association seeks opening of closed gas plan

The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) has expressed worry over the prolonged and continuous closure of Second Coming Gas plant by the Lagos State Government.

The association, according to its Executive Secretary, Mr. Bassey Essien, is calling on the governor of the state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to intervene and order the agency/ministry involved to reopen the plant.

He noted that remarkable progress had been made in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) utilisation and consumption in the country over the years in that cooking gas, which hitherto was being associated with the elites, is now being embraced by food vendors and low income earners.

This huge achievement has been attributed to private investments by committed indigenous entrepreneurs to establish gas bottling plants across the country.

Nigeria is endowed with abundant gas reserves, however utilisation of LPG (cooking gas) in the country has been abysmally low compared to neighbouring West African countries, Morocco and Egypt of North Africa despite being the largest producer of LPG in the West African sub region and the third in Africa.

NALPGAM said: “It is the concerted efforts of these indigenous entrepreneurs who had invested massively to erect terminals and gas bottling plants that have led to the growth in consumption from about 70,000 metric tons in 2007 to about 840,000MT as at 2018.”

The Federal Government is encouraging LPG expansion to a target consumption of 5 million MT by year 2030.

To achieve this feat, it means more cooking gas plants must spring up both in the urban and rural communities while massive awareness is expected to be created on the usage and safe handling of gas and its accessories.