APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The report that the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) has said that 9,000 out of 10,000 filling stations in Nigeria have qualified to become multi-fuel stations, where vehicle owners can refuel autogas and petrol is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Monday.
The Guardian reports that the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) has said 9,000 out of 10,000 filling stations in Nigeria have qualified to become multi-fuel stations, where vehicle owners can refuel autogas and petrol.
The Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this at a yearly training workshop of the Nigeria Automotive Journalists Association (NAJA), held in Lagos, over the weekend.
Ibrahim said: “Under our NGEP programme, we have what we call the multi-fuel scheme, whereby we do not intend to shut down the current petrol stations we have in the country – about 10,000 of them. Earlier, we carried out an audit where 9,000 out of 10,000 qualify for retrofit to become multi-fuel.
“So, what is going to happen, and we have a couple already in the system, is: you drive into a filling station, you are going to have dispensing facilities for your petrol, diesel, and kerosene. But in addition, you are going to have dispensing facilities with the cryogenic tower that enables you to have access to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), a dispensing pump for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and also a charging point for your electric vehicles.’’
“It becomes a multi-fuel retail outlet that enables you to have access to LNG for your long hauls, CNG for your 300-kilometre maximum, and conventional petrol, diesel and kerosene.”
The newspaper says that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, at the weekend, said Nigeria was still losing 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily to local and international thieves, despite efforts to end the menace.
Ribadu disclosed this when he led a presidential delegation to inspect oil and gas facilities at Owaza in Abia and Odogwa in Etche local council of Rivers State.
According to him, activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals had impacted negatively on the nation’s economy and were partly responsible for rising cost of living in the country.
“It is unfortunate that few individuals would steal our common resources, and in the process cause unbelievable loss to the nation, communities and the people,” Ribadu said.
“Nigeria has the capacity to produce two million barrels of crude daily, but we are currently producing less than 1.6 million barrels due to theft and vandalisation of pipelines.’’
“So, we’re talking about 400,000 barrels of crude oil going to waste, with few criminals and economic saboteurs not even getting much out of it,” he added.
Ribadu also said the President Bola Tinubu administration is concerned about the development and is already taking actionable steps to address the matter.
The NSA boss called for a united front to tackle oil theft and end decades of attacks on the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure.
The Punch reports that President Bola Tinubu has said the country could not continue to service its debt with 90 percent of its revenue.
He stated that the country was headed for destruction should that continue.
Tinubu spoke during the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association on Sunday in Abuja.
He said his administration must make difficult changes to better the lots of the country.
Tinubu said, “Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable. We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world.
“To build a great nation, we must make bold decisions; even though it may be painful at the moment, it is not about you and me. It is about our generation yet unborn.”
Tinubu, who said there is hope for a great Nigeria, called for the cooperation and support of the private sector.
Tinubu said, “Can we continue to service external debts with 90% of our revenue? It is a path to destruction. It is not sustainable. We must make the very difficult changes that are necessary for our country to get up from slumber and be respected among the great nations of the world.
“To build a great nation, we must make bold decisions; even though it may be painful at the moment, it is not about you and me. It is about our generation yet unborn.”
The newspaper says that the release of huge volumes of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon has made states along the path of River Benue in Nigeria brace up for possible flood disasters in their various domains.
To prevent deaths and other disasters associated with floods, states that are likely to be affected have asked residents of the flood-prone areas to vacate such communities.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency officials, no fewer than 11 states including Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Cross River are likely to feel the negative impacts of the opening of the dam.
The states on Sunday advised such residents to leave the areas to avoid impacts on human lives and valuable assets.
It was gathered on Sunday that Cameroon informed the Federal Government that it would soon open its Lagdo Dam.
The Director of the African Affairs, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Umar Salisu, said in a letter dated August 21, 2023, that the ministry received a note from the High Commission of Cameroon as regards the opening of the dam.
The letter, which was addressed to the National Emergency Management Agency, read in part, “I have the honour to inform that the ministry is in receipt of a Note Verbale from the High Commission of the Republic of Cameroon informing that Cameroonian officials have resolved to open the flood gates of the Lagdo Dam on the Benue River in days ahead due to the heavy rainfall around the dam catchment area in Northern Cameroon.”
GIK/APA