The chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), under the leadership of Mele Kyari, was committed to the realisation of domestic gas utilisation for all.
Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/South federal constituency of Imo State in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly, said this while speaking at the award of gas distribution licences by Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja.
The lawmaker noted that NNPCL was leading in domestic gas utilisation investment, which is healthy for the economic prosperity of the country.
“The Nigerian government has in an unprecedented move awarded 10 gas distribution licences (GDL) to six companies in order to improve the country’s gas utilisation drive as many individual citizens and corporate entities depend on the product as source of energy for domestic and commercial uses.
“It is worthy to note that the NNPC Gas Marketing Limited was top of the companies including Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, Axxela, NIPCO Plc, Central Horizon Gas Company and Falcon Corporation Limited who got the licences.
“The GDL is provided for in Sections 148-152 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and it is a licence which gives exclusive right to establish, construct and operate a gas distribution system in a designated local Gas Distribution Zone (GDZ) issued to qualified applicants to distribute gas at the ‘last mile’.
“The national oil company, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited and their partners won majority of the gas distribution licenses because they have invested heavily in gas distribution infrastructure which is key to realisation of Nigeria decades of gas utilisation for all.
“That NNPCL is leading the charge is a tastement under the leadership of Mele Kyari, the company is committed to the realisation of domestic gas utilisation for all. It also a clear indication that NNPLC is leading in domestic gas utilisation investment which is healthy for the economic prosperity of the country.
“As lawmakers, especially those serving under the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), we assure Nigerians, the NNPCL and even the private companies of our continuous legislative interventions to ensure energy sufficiency for the country through such moves by the federal government,” the lawmaker stated.
