After over forty years of lamentations about gas flaring and the lack of political will to maximally utilize the country’s abundant natural gas resources, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has once again scored another first with the virtual unveiling of a well-thought-out and economically beneficial Auto-gas programme
The National Gas Expansion Programme and National Auto-gas Roll-out Initiative is an industry and environmental game-changer that will empower Nigerians to tap into the abundant natural gas resources in a convenient and economically-viable manner, while drastically reducing gas flaring in the country.
In a statement issued by the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) and signed by the chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the group noted that for over forty years Nigeria has not tapped the full potentials of its available gas resources, principally due to lack of focus and commitment by the past administrations. Today the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has once more demonstrated visionary leadership by addressing the over four decades of resource wastage and attendant environmental pollution as the new policy aims at the utilisation of compressed natural gas for vehicles and domestic use.
“The President Buhari administration has recorded another big first in the utilisation of both natural compressed gas and liquefied petroleum gas for vehicles and domestic use. The auto-gas roll out does not only effectively diversify the nation’s energy stock by taking primacy of energy utility away from Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), a politicised product, and removing it from the political product shelf that it had occupied for decades with the option of a cheaper and more environmentally friendly energy source.
“This comes with the added advantage of profitably commercialising gas, hitherto flared with huge environmental consequences. The roll-out is not only revolutionary but a strong economic initiative to facilitate 250,000 direct jobs inclusive of building new skillsets for Nigerian youths. The national gas expansion program is an initiative that is more than 40 years late in coming.”
The group envisions a better life for millions of vehicle owners in Nigeria who can now convert their vehicles to run on gas which is not only cheaper, environmentally-friendly but is being subsidised by the Federal Government.
The Buhari Media Organization observed that this is one of the numerous occasions that the Buhari administration has taken bold and courageous decisions to improve the living standards of Nigerians and enjoined all citizens to take maximum advantage of the gas roll-out programme.
“Nigerians now have the opportunity to diversify their energy sources both for domestic and commercial purposes. The roll-out also comes with huge benefits including yielding of commercial profit to the country from a product that was hitherto flared with its attendant negative environmental impact and revenue loss to the country. It is another win-win for Nigeria, and another chapter added to President Buhari’s pledge to diversity the economy and deepen investment potentials that will create jobs for Nigerian youths'”
