The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Ikenga Ugochinyere, has commended the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), over efforts to achieve the Gas for all Homes Agenda.
Ugochinyere`s remarks which were contained in a statement on Wednesday followed the agency’s decision to issue Gas distribution licenses to companies.
Recall, last week the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) presented Gas Distribution Licenses to 10 companies.
Speaking at the Gas Distribution Licence (GDL) Award ceremony in Abuja, the authority’s Chief Executive, Engr Farouk Ahmed, recalled that the organisation received 30 applications for licenses from which it approved 10.
He said the licences cover about 1.5 billion standard cubic feet/day with over 1,200 kilometer of gas distribution pipeline network.
Following, the lawmaker said, “The NMDPRA’s issuance of Gas distribution licenses to companies was a bold step in actualising the gas for all homes agenda which is targeted at addressing the energy challenges faced by Nigerians at all social strata of the society.
“The Federal Government’s gas for all homes agenda is a programme to distribute free gas cylinders to one million homes across the country. The programme is part of the government’s strategy to promote clean cooking fuels and reduce the use of firewood and cooking stoves.
“The goals of the programme include reduction of reliance on harmful cooking fuels, promotion of clean cooking energy as well as conversion of 250,000 homes per year to clean cooking gas by 2030.
As lawmakers, especially serving in committees downstream, saw this as a worthy initiative and pledged our support though with strict supervision to ensure that Nigerians benefit from it and not just as a way of government patronage for the company who had been issued licenses.”
