As Nigeria progresses with the implementation of the Decade of Gas Programme of the federal government, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, has advocated for annual status reports.
According to him, all parties involved in the project’s execution should be made to provide annual status reports of the successes, issues, support required, and target completion dates of the plan.
Wabote spoke at the 6th Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES) held at the International Conference Center (ICC) Abuja, with the theme: “Global Perspectives for a Sustainable Energy Future.”
The Decade of Gas agenda is an ambitious programme of the federal government launched in 2021 by President Muhammadu Buhari and the immediate-past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva to help Nigeria achieve industrialisation, economic prosperity and tackle energy poverty by using gas as an enabler.
The programme is to run from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2030, and being powered by the government in conjunction with a broad team of stakeholders from the Nigerian oil and gas industry and other linkage sectors.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Dr. Phillip Mshelbila had expressed optimism that the Decade of Gas policy would enable the country to catch up with the developed and industrialised countries of the world if successfully implemented as planned.
But speaking on “Building Local Content and Capacity for the Realization of Nigeria’s Decade of Gas”, Wabote suggested that the status reports would be prepared by agencies, entities and stakeholders that are responsible for the various projects and initiatives identified in the 10-year gas programme and presented at the NIES every year.
He challenged stakeholders not to get distracted or lose steam in the implementation of the programme even as a new administration was set to assume office on May 29, 2023.
While calling for the continuity of the Decade of Gas programme, he hinted that, “it is possible that the incoming government will give the programme a new name but we must not lose focus on the importance of gas to our energy needs and economic development.”
The executive secretary also highlighted eight focus areas the board was utilising to drive the realisation of the Decade of Gas initiative of the federal government.
These, according to him, include Human Capacity Development, Construction of Industrial Parks, Public-Private Partnerships and Nigerian Content Intervention Funds, Research and Development, Regulatory Framework, Regional Collaboration, and Enabling Business Environment.
