By Miriam Humbe
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo and the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu on Wednesday in Abuja, set up an Inter-ministerial Committee that will suggest ways and means of achieving a steady and sustainable gas supply to the Gas Power Generating Plants to meet both the domestic and industrial needs of Nigerians.
A statement signed on behalf of the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry on Thursday said this was in a bid to address the challenges of low gas supply to Gas (Thermal) Power Generating Stations in the country.
The statement also said that this was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee was formed at the end of the meeting between the two Ministries in the Office of the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas) Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo.
At the meeting, Ekpo outlined the challenges causing the low supply of gas to the Thermal Power Plants to include; Decade of Gas legacy debts; vandalization of gas resources infrastructures in the Niger Delta Region; and domestic pricing of gas in dollars, among other things.
He expressed his willingness to work harmoniously with any individual, organisation and Agency to solve these challenges.
The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu stated the need for the two Ministries to work collaboratively and solve the problem of low gas supply to the Thermal Power Plants in order to achieve uninterrupted power supply in the country.
Adelabu said: “There is absolutely nothing that can be done in Nigeria without stable power.”
Members of the committee were drawn from the Ministries of Petroleum Resources and Power, Regulatory Agencies, Operators and Critical Stakeholders in the Gas and Power Sectors.
The meeting was witnessed by some Directors in the Ministries of Petroleum Resources and Power.
