The House of Representatives has called for the implementation of the Nigerian Gas Policy and reduction in the cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly called cooking gas.
At the plenary on Tuesday, the House especially urged the Federal Government to implement the policy and make “immediate intervention to force down the rising cost of cooking gas in Nigeria.”
The House further mandated its Committee on Gas Resources to ensure compliance with the resolution and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
A member of the House, Rotimi Agunsoye, had moved a motion titled ‘Urgent Need to Implement the Nigerian Gas Policy,’ which the lawmakers unanimously adopted.
Agunsoye noted that LPG is “the cleanest and cheapest” means for everyday cooking in households, stressing that Nigeria has the largest natural gas reserve in Africa and holds the 9th position in the world.
The lawmaker also noted that a nationwide sensitization campaign for the adoption and expansion of the use of cooking gas had been planned by the Federal Government.
According to him, the Nigerian Gas Policy was designed to boost the oil and gas sector and enhance the economy of the nation as well as boost the domestic market for LPG.
He added that the policy was aimed at moving Nigeria from being a crude oil export-based economy to an attractive oil and gas-based industrial economy;
He stressed that a proper harnessing of LPG could lead Nigeria to become a gas-based industrial nation, while satisfying local demands.
The lawmaker further noted that years 2020 to 2030 have been marked by the Federal Government as the “decade of gas” aimed to achieve actualisation of gas for all in the country for use in homes, vehicles and industries.
Agunsoye said, “The House is worried that about the recent surge in the price of cooking gas in the open market, as cooking gas, which cost only about N4,000 in July 2021, now costs about N8,000, with an all-time high of about N9,000 during 2021 yuletide season, standing at over 100 per cent increase within one year.
“The House observes that the implementation of the gas policy will not only increase the domestic use of cooking in more households but would have a greater economic scale, which would reduce the price for more affordability.
“The House is determined to ensure the availability and proper distribution of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and the actualisation of the gains of the Nigerian Gas Policy as well as controlled pricing geared towards affordability for citizens.”
Copyright PUNCH.
