The Nigerian government says it is planning to inject 600,000 gas cylinders to support efforts to boost cooking gas, penetration in the country.
Ms. Brenda Ataga, the Special adviser on Gas to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, told the stakeholders’ forum on cooking gas penetration in Abuja on Tuesday that from estimation, Nigeria has 386,000 micro distribution centres across the country.
“We will inject 600,000 cylinders to filling plants and Skid owners that have converted their skids to micro distribution centres,” she said.
She said that the government would come up with a policy that would remove the ownership of gas cylinders from consumers.
Ataga added that the policy would require that the ownership of the cylinders rests strictly with the dealers and distributors as part of strategy to deepen the penetration of cooking gas.
The report by the Nigerian Television Authority quoted the minister’s aide as saying that cylinders would be distributed on credit, with a pre-payment period of 18 months.
Speaking on the roadside sellers or illegal gas sellers, Ataga said that government would commence awareness campaign to help sensitise people on the right procedures.
She said that after awareness campaign, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) would commence clamping down on illegal or road side sellers.
“Actually, enforcement will start next week, we will start notifying people from today; there will be jingles in the media, so that people will understand what we are talking about.
“The clamp down will be done area by area where convention of Skids had be done and where illegal sellers have been warned,” she added.
Ataga said that over a million illegal retailers are currently existing in the country and that the government has planned to remove Value Added Tax (VAT) to achieve its target.
GIK/APA