The Minister of State for Pretroleum Resources Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu PHOTO: TWITTER/NNPC
Energy Ministers and different stakeholders in the West African area yesterday in Abuja known as for vital actions that might deal with inherent challenges in fuel provide throughout the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to facilitate sustainable improvement in the sub-region.
The consultants, who mentioned the necessity for ECOWAS, particularly the international locations which can be served by the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) to deal with fuel associated concern, famous that sustainability of fuel infrastructure remained essential to the way forward for energy in the sub-region.
WAGP, a pure fuel pipeline that provides fuel from Nigeria’s Escravos area of Niger Delta space to Benin, Togo and Ghana, is the primary regional pure fuel transmission system in sub-Saharan Africa with a complete distance of 678 km, with 569 km offshore.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, stated stability in the Niger Delta area has aided immediate provide of fuel by means of the pipelines, noting that the group should work tougher to be sure that challenges associated to interconnection, operation, tariff and regulation have been addressed.
ECOWAS is presently taking a look at boosting financial integration among the many West African states, with plans to develop WAGP pipeline.
A contract had already been signed with an energy service agency, Penspen to study WAGP system efficiency and chance of future community extension to the neighborhood states
Kachikuw insisted that it was necessary for the area to strengthen relationship and work collectively to mitigate challenges affecting energy security in the area.
“It is necessary that we do no matter we are able to to maintain this relationship. Something we've had problems with fuel sufficiency, generally problems with fee. We should stay very dedicated to be sure that no matter we're doing increase our relationship.
“We want to be futuristic. I look ahead to a day once we can have satisfactory fuel provide everywhere in the West Africa area in order that energy can develop into obtainable for citizen.
Providing energy for the West Africa individuals is without doubt one of the most necessary points and all of us should work collectively and check out our greatest to obtain this goal,” he stated.
Managing Director of WAGP, Walter Perez, stated latest improve of the corporate’s compressor station in Nigeria boosted the organization’s capability to transport over 85, 000MMBt models of fuel per day.
He stated the corporate is making progress on a Western Interconnection Project that might be used to allow fuel to circulation from Western offshore Ghana to the first load middle for energy technology.
Parez stated: “We have progressed engineering works and related procurement activities. We have also executed a construction management agreement with Eni. We are now eager for the construction to commence at Tema and Takoradi (Ghana) imminently.”
He stated all of the companions in the WAGP mission should work collectively and play key roles in any other case unlocking and maximizing worth throughout regional enterprise would stay elusive.
Perez also stated that the completion of crucial infrastructure initiatives in Nigeria would take away vital limitations that may allow the corporate to function successfully.