FROM, ANIEFIOK OBONG,
YENAGOA
Federal government has reiterated its determination to advance the country’s gas resources which was described as the surest pathway to economic prosperity.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, made the assertion in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, yesterday, when he visited the facilities and projects of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB.
Ekpo, who is also a Co-chair of NCDMB, stated that Nigeria is endowed with vast natural gas resources of about 209 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, while he emphasized the necessity to harness the resources effectively to drive economic development.
He underlined President Bola Tinubu’s unalloyed support to the gas sector, with initiatives extending to the entire value chain, notably gas development, distribution and penetration.
He maintained that the federal government’s drive is geared to lower the cost of transportation, cost of living and impact every part of the country positively.
He listed some of the key initiatives that his ministry is pursing to include investments in critical gas infrastructure to support the transportation and distribution of natural gas across the country, promotion of domestic gas utilisation for power generation, industrial application and transportation, as well as strengthening NCDMB’s capacity to build 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 to international markets, generate revenue and position Nigeria as a key player in the global gas market and strengthen the policy and regulatory frameworks governing the gas sector to create an enabling environment for investment and innovation.
The minister added that 60 percent of NCDMB’s investments are gas based and advised that new projects by the agency should focus on Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, because of the direct impact on transportation and cost of living.
He lauded 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.
Ekpo added that the visit provided him an opportunity to meet with management and staff of the Board, learn more about the agency’s operations and discuss how to continue driving local content in our gas sector.
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 to support the federal fovernment’s economic aspirations.
The minister and his entourage toured NCDMB’s facilities, including the Technology Innovation and Incubation Centre, TICC, and listened to presentations from three incubates on their technology solutions and how NCDMB is supporting them from concept to commercialisation.
The team also visited NCDMB Conference Hotel project, which is undergoing construction, it’s gas hub at Polaku, Yenagoa, as well as the 10 megawatts gas-power plant which supplies electricity to the Nigerian Content Tower and selected offices of the Bayelsa State government.
The minister also made a brief visit to the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who welcomed him to the state and solicited key investments in the gas sector.
