Buhari unveils National Gas Expansion Programme, auto-gas project

President Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja via a virtually held meeting at the State House unveiled the National Gas Expansion Programme and National Autogas Roll-out Initiative.

Buhari appreciated Nigerians and Organized Labour for restraint, understanding and patience as the country tackles myriad economic challenges, assuring that the Federal Government is working hard to ameliorate the situation.

The President urged Nigerians to embrace the use of gas as an alternative to fuel, noting that it is no longer news that the vast Natural Gas resources, which Nigeria is endowed with has hitherto been used sub-optimally as a result of a dearth of gas processing facilities and infrastructural connectivity for effective and optimal domestic utilization.

“I, therefore, encourage everyone to embrace gas in form of LPG, CNG and LNG as an alternative fuel for autos and other prime-movers,” he said.

Buhari said the deregulation of the downstream sector had exposed many to price volatilities in the global market, urging attention to more affordable alternative for energy, especially with Nigeria’s heavy reserve.

On his part, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said the Ministry is focusing on the development of skills, technology and manpower as well as growth in the utilisation of LPG, CNG and LNG.

He said that the National Gas Expansion programme which was initiated this year to boost the utilization of gas in the short and medium-term “is expected to create two million jobs per annum, promote skills acquisition and enhance technology transfer in addition to growing the nation’s GDP.”

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari said from 2016 to 2019, the Federal Government had spent over three trillion Naira subsidizing the pump price of petroleum products particularly petrol.

Kyari insisted that the subsidy regime did not benefit the masses that President Buhari is passionate about.

And in line with the earlier promise of FG to labour, President Buhari asked Timipre Silva to hand over the mass transit busses.

“The Minister of State Petroleum Resources is hereby directed to commence the process of hand over of mass transit buses to Organized Labour as part of our government’s pledge to continue providing the support that will ease the transportation challenges Nigerians are facing at this time.”