LOW GAS SUPPLY: FG SETS UP INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES

Honourable Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas) Rt. Honourable Ekperikpe Ekpo (left) receiving the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu in his office in Abuja.

"Challenges causing the low supply of gas to the Thermal Power Plants include, Decade of Gas legacy debts; vandalization of gas resources infrastructures in the Niger Delta Region; domestic pricing of gas in dollars." Ekperikpo Ekpo, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas).

"There is absolutely nothing that can be done in Nigeria without stable power." Adebayo Adelabu, Minister for Power.

Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo and his counterpart in the Ministry of Power, Adebayo Adelabu have met to discuss ways to address challenges bedeviling the power and gas sectors, particularly as it pertains to the low gas supply to Gas (Thermal) Power Generating Stations in the country.

The meeting which took place on the 7th February 2024 in Abuja, in the office of the Minister of State (Gas) in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, saw the setting 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, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu's administration. 

Honourable Minister of State Petroleum Resources(Gas) Rt.Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo (4th right) flanked by the Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu (3rd right) and their Technical Teams in a group photograph to mark the end of the meeting.

"The Inter-Ministerial Committee," according to a statement issued and signed by Christopher Ugwuegbulam, on behalf of the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, "was formed at the end of the meeting between the two Ministries, in the Office of the Honourable 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; domestic pricing of gas in dollars etc and he expressed his willingness to work harmoniously with any individual, Organisation and Agency to solve these challenges." The statement read. 

The statement further revealed that, "Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu in his remarks, 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 an uninterrupted power supply in the country."

Speaking further, Adebayo stressed that, "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.