Patrick Ugeh
16 May 2008
Abuja — President Umaru Yar'Adua has ordered immediate execution of a short term gas plan, aimed at doubling gas availability in the domestic market within 12 months and tripling it within 24 months.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, who stated this yesterday at the Nigerian Gas Masterplan Investor Roadshow in Abuja, said this would bring about significant improvement in power supply, as it would have a marked impact on electric power availability.
But in an unprecedented move, the Delta State government announced at the event that it is to establish its own pipeline network, to convey gas to fire two independent power plants it hopes would deliver about 400 megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
Kingibe said government was presenting between 20 and 30billion dollar infrastructure investment opportunity, adding that the Oil and Gas Committee, headed by Dr Rilwanu Lukman, would submit its report to the President before the end of this month, while its full implementation should reposition the entire sector on course, such that it is able to respond more flexibly and rapidly to current opportunities and challenges.
He said the progress that could be achieved in this endeavour is critically dependent on investors, which he said necessitated the roadshow.
The state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, disclosed this yesterday in his paper, "The Niger Delta Region Development and Security Strategy," where he said, "we have our own gas masterplan. We are going to build kilometres of pipeline for gas in the state. At the state, we've looked into the issue of power and gas supply. While the Federal Government is still grappling with the issue o f power supply, we want to go on to develop our own independent 150 megawatts and 250 megawatts of IPPs. We are planning our own gas pipeline."
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