The Minister of State for Energy (Gas) Chief Emmanuel Odusina has commended the effort of the Management of Nipco plc in putting up a gas plant in a conscious move to reduce the hardship being faced in sourcing the product by the populace.

Chief Odusina  made the commendation while giving his impression on the company’s operation after an extensive tour of its  terminal at Apapa, Lagos State maintained that the feat is one of the dividends of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the Oil and Gas industry.

He pointed out that with the performance of the company in the sale of white products, there is likelihood for better deal for both prospective and present gas users in the country.

According to him, the about 5,000 MT gas facility which presently is the biggest in the country is a good omen in the history of LPG plant construction in the country.

The minister explained that having followed the company from inception while in the employment of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), he is confident that an improved service delivery mechanism is in the pipeline in the gas sector.

Chief Odusina noted that the state of the art facilities being put in place by the company is an indication of the cutting edge technology the organisation is renown for.

According to him, government will give necessary support  and a good enabling environment for the gas plant to be operational and beneficial to all.

“We had realized the inherent benefits in gas usage both for household usage and industrial purposes, hence the policy direction of government to always support measures that will promote gas utilization in the country” the minister declared.

He charged gas plant owners to embark on serious sensitization of the populace on gas usage citing the cost benefit, environmental friendly status etc among the other advantages it has over other energy sources.

The minister tasked Nipco to exploit the spread and numerical strength of independent fuel marketers to convey the message to the populace on the use of gas as cooking fuel as against  firewood and kerosene.

Earlier while taking the minister round the terminal, the company chairman Chief (Dr) Bestman Anekwe said that the gas plant would be ready for commissioning before the end of the 2nd quarter of 2008.

He pointed out that 15 LPG tankers have been procured to ease distribution network across the country while conscious efforts are on to bring in about 600,000 plastic cylinders to facilitate easy access by all grade of users.

“We have done it to the amazement of stakeholders in the area of petroleum product distribution for petrol, kerosene and diesel and we are ready to replicate same in the gas sector, he stated”.

Chief Anekwe posited that the company’s main aim is to make gas affordable and accessible to the common man and remove the toga of gas usage especially for household cooking as being an exclusive preserve of the rich.

In his own remarks, the Managing Director, Mr. Girish Sanadhya said gas consumption is increasing day by day, hence the need to put in the place facilities that could enhance product supply in the country to meet the demand.

He explained that the tankfarm has a trading facility of 500 tones a day and 18,000 dispensing capacity in a month while its operations is highly automated .