The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu say plans are ongoing to upgrade the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure. Kachikwu said this during a stakeholders’ workshop to review the challenges of the Nigeria’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector. According to him, it is time for Nigeria to harness alternative fuel sources like LPG as underrecovery from the importation and sale of petrol at the governmentregulated price of N145 per litre has hit N1.4 trillion. “It is a shame that at this stage in our national life, we are still talking about uses and challenges of the LPG. However, I think government is focused in all the areas. “We are hoping to launch an infrastructure rebirth map for the oil sector over the next two months, and I hope his Excellency, the President will launch that.
“The effect is that it will be to open up tariff and create policy positions that will enable people to actually go in and invest in critical infrastructure that is needed. “This is because anywhere you go, whether it is distribution of petroleum products massively through trucks, rather than through pipelines, whether it its been able to take crude into refineries or distribute gas throughout the country, infrastructure is so key. “There are lots of stranded gas and power everywhere Distribution is key, infrastructure is key. “We need to find a way of finding enough incentives to enable the private sector go in very bullishly and put the money where it is supposed to be,’’ Kachikwu explained.
