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Nigeria Imports 71% Of LPG Consumed In One Month, PPPRA Reveals

Despite abundance of gas in Nigeria, 71.35 per cent of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) also known as cooking gas, consumed in the country in the month of August, 2020, were imported, data obtained from the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) has revealed.
This was in sharp contrast to claims by the Federal Government that it was striving to promote increased utilization of Nigeria’s huge gas resources, put at about 203.16 trillion cubic feet, in a bid to cushion the effect of rising PMS prices, preserve the environment, improve power supply and also conserve Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves.
According to the PPPRA report of LPG supplied in August, 2020, a total of 123,554.329 metric tonnes (MT) of LPG in vacuum (VAC) was supplied in Nigeria in the month under review, by six companies, out of which 88,157.108 MT (VAC) of LPG were imported, while 35,397.221 MT(VAC) were sourced locally.
The volume of cooking gas imported into the country in August, 2020, by four companies, represented a rise of 44.44 per cent, compared to 61,035.814 MT (VAC) imported in July, 2020, and also represented an increase of 7.71 per cent compared to 81,848.585 MT (VAC) imported in August, 2019.
On the other hand, the volume of LPG sourced locally for consumption was 52.84 per cent lower than the 75,062.834 MT (VAC) of LPG sourced locally in July, 2020.
However, the total number of cooking gas supplied in August, 2020, was 9.22 per cent lower than the 136,098.648 MT(VAC) of LPG imported in July, 2020 and 50.96 per cent higher than the 81,848.585 MT (VAC) supplied in August, 2019.
Specifically, in July, 2020, a total of 136,098.648 MT (VAC) of LPG was supplied, with 61,035.814 MT (VAC) of LPG imported, while 75,062.834 MT (VAC) was sourced locally; while in August, 2020, 100 per cent of the 81,848.585 MT(VAC) of LPG supplied were imported into the country.
Algasco LPG Services Limited, a subsidiary of Vitol, was the highest importer of the commodity into the country in August, 2020, with 43,888 MT (VAC) of LPG, representing 48.78 per cent of the total import and 35.52 per cent of total LPG supplied in the period under review.
Other importers of the commodity into the country are: Matrix Energy, 19,770 MT (VAC); Prudent Energy and Services Limited, 9,568 MT (VAC) of LPG; and NIPCO, 10,893 MT (VAC) of LPG.
On the other hand, of the 35,397.221 MT (VAC) of LPG sources locally in August, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) supplied 3,634.401 MT (VAC); NIPCO supplied 9,383.680 MT (VAC); Algasco, 4,107.667 MT (VAC) and Stockgap Fuels Limited, 9,058.139 MT (VAC).
The products were discharged at Lister Jetty, Apapa; Matrix Jetty, Warri; Prudent Energy Jetty, Oghara; Bulk Oil Plant, Apapa; North Oil Jetty and Stockgap Jetty, Port Harcourt.
The fact that Nigeria continues to import cooking gas leaves much to be desired, especially when viewed against the huge gas resources in the country and the launch of the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) which seeks to increase gas utilization in Nigeria, through the auto-gas scheme and LPG programme.
The import of cooking gas is reminiscent of development with PMS, where despite having abundance of crude oil, the country continues to import PMS, spending a huge portion of its foreign exchange on the importation and also spending huge amount of money to subsidise the product, among others.
Specifically, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had stated that the implementation of the NGEP would deepen gas usage in the country and would be executed alongside the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP), and the National Gas Transportation Network Code (NGTNC).
Also, Technical Adviser, Downstream to the Petroleum Minister, Dr Abner Ishaku, had stated that the promotion of gas as replacement fuel will also save the nation the much-needed foreign exchange expended on imported fuels.
He had noted that using gas as auto-gas would provide alternatives to Premium Motor Spirit, Automotive Gas Oil and Dual Purpose Kerosene for Nigerians.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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