Minister of state Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, has urged the private sector to invest in natural gas facilities to drive industrial growth across Nigeria’s geo-political zones
Ekpo yesterday hosted the leadership of 3W Alliance Limited led by its chairman, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, and the managing director of Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA), Bamanga Usman Jada.
During the meeting, Mutallab and Jada briefed the minister on the collaboration between the two establishments for the development of international industrial parks (in two states each) across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.
Mutallab said a reference model will kick-start at the Liberty Free Trade Zone in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State with an on-site power and water supply, natural gas pipelines, internal connecting roads, rentable warehouses, residential estates, among others.
The Ikot Abasi industrial park is to be powered by natural gas and would attract lots of medium scale investors, with massive job opportunities for youths in the country, he said.
Jada said the pilot scheme seeks to utilise the abundant gas resource in Akwa Ibom state to power the industrial park in Ikot Abasi and that this would lead to massive technology transfer, skills acquisition, increased revenue for the state and country.
He said uninterrupted gas supply was required to fire the power plants and keep the parks running.
The gas minister expressed his appreciation to 3W Alliance for the trust in investing in Nigeria, and also commended the managing director of the Oil & Gas Free Zone Authority for providing the company with the necessary space and support to build their industrial park.
Ekpo underscored the core objective of his office, which is to attract and facilitate gas-based investments in Nigeria, even as he assured foreign partners and financiers of the industrial park projects of the safety and security of their investments in Nigeria.
“I understand that you did not go into the details of this project because you needed approval first, so I want to tell you that approval is automatically granted to you to embark on this project,” he said.
Ekpo promised that all necessary support from the ministry and regulatory agencies would be granted to ensure the project’s success, beginning with the Ikot Abasi park.
Speaking against the backdrop of protests against hardship in the country, Ekpo enjoined the delegation and well-meaning Nigerians to be patient and to support ongoing efforts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resuscitate the economy.
He said the President is working hard to ensure that the nation comes out of the various socio-economic challenges facing the populace.
“The president has created amicable policies and reforms to attract investments into the country, and now I will appeal to us to talk to our brothers and sisters from all parts of the country for us to forget about the issue of protest: protest will draw us backwards,” said Ekpo.
“We met Nigeria at a bleeding point, but I want to state that the reforms that are going on in the country are geared towards making Nigeria a better place for all of us tomorrow. We should be peaceful and shun violent protests. Let us encourage the President and give him the chance and also give investors the chance to come in and invest and create jobs for our citizens,” he added.
