Stakeholders call for full utilisation of gas resources

The Nigeria Gas Association (NGA) has emphasized the need for the Federal Government to initiation policies that will encourage investment in the country’s gas resources.

Making this call during a courtesy visit by the President NGA, Bolaji Osunsanya and some council members to Nipco Plc, the Association maintained that Nigeria will only be referred to as gas heaven with low level of utilisation of the resource if preeminence is not accorded the sector.

The Managing Director, Nipco, Venkatapathy Venkataraman, also joined in the appeal to encourage full utilisation of gas resources in the country. Osunsanya affirmed that there is need to give gas priority especially in the light of the nation’s economic predicament, adding that gas development at the levels of exploration and utilisation needs new focus.

The NGA President appreciated the concerns of the Nipco managing director in attracting attention to the gas sector at the highest level of governance to further galvanise all stakeholders and the Association pledge to support advocacy in this direction for the needed industry growth. According to him, “there is a sense in focussing on gas whether you do it by creating a special ministry or you make sure it has a special focus in policy initiatives .”

He counselled that in the interim, whatever ministry that supervises gas should make it a focussed area stressing that through such initiatives corporate bodies like Nipco can do even more in the sector.Osunsanya acknowledged the splendid contribution of Nipco to the sector so far, noting that the Association is proud of its achievement.

He enjoined the planning committee of the forthcoming NGA Biennial Conference /Exhibition to ensure that primacy of place is given to the company to exhibit its gas powered vehicles at the event to further showcase the development,

He said that effort should be made to bring at least one of the CNG converted vehicle to the event for practical demonstration of how it works and also informed reactions from those already using the automobiles .

According to him, “it will not only be a good fora to do advocacy for more gas powered vehicles in the country but also let the populace see the inherent benefits of allowing your vehicles run on gas in comparism with white fuels.”

He noted that making the sector well routed at the highest level of governance would give more time and focus for gas development in the overall growth of the industry and the economy in general.

The Nipco managing director told the visiting gas stakeholders that a great future lied ahead for the country in the gas sector not only in view of the abundance resource but also in terms of its utilisation either for power generation or for domestic uses and saving forex in fuel importation .

Venkataraman informed that Nipco remains a key player in the sector both in the realms of gas usage as auto fuel and for domestic purposes across the country.In the area of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), he said the company had put in place massive gas storage facility with attendant distribution network through scores of gas trucks as well as inaugurating skid in some of its branded service stations.

He stated that in the realm of using natural gas as auto fuel and powering of machines, the company in a joint venture with the Nigeria gas Company had inaugurated seven gas stations in the city of Benin, and a compression plant at Ibafo, Ogun State to improve access by motorists and industrial concerns.He however averred that slow response to the enormous investment by the private sector through conscious patronage is adversely affecting returns on investment in the sector.