By Oscarline Onwuemenyi
ABUJA – The harmonized version of the 2010 cash call budget for projects in the gas sector has been presented to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison_Madueke.

The Chairman of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Gas, Senator Osita Izunaso made the presentation Tuesday at an interactive session with leaders of the Petroleum Ministry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

Alison_Madueke, who was called upon to update the Joint Committee on the activities of her ministry, especially with regards to the gas sector, explained that a number of landmark achievements had been recorded.

She listed the achievements to include the setting up a commercial framework for gas to power which has culminated in the approval of a new gas pricing, the signing of a Gas Supply and Purchase Agreement between NNPC/Pan_Ocean joint venture and Egbin Power Station, and the World Bank Guarantee secured for gas to power projects.

She further disclosed that discussions were at an advanced stage with some international big players in the gas sector to come into the country to build gas based industries like fertilizer and petrochemical plants.

On the implementation of the Gas Master Plan, she said work was at an advanced stage in the process of selecting the franchise companies that would build central processing facilities in the various gas zones in the country, adding that in the next few weeks, winners of the franchise tender will be named.
Reacting to a question on the impact of the new gas pricing on the manufacturing sector which had already been complaining about the high price of gas, Alison_Madueke explained that the approved gas pricing was only for gas to power, and that a new gas pricing regime was being worked out for the manufacturing sector.

Senator Izunaso commended her for the prompt manner she resolved the gas to power issue through the introduction of the new gas pricing regime, adding that he has received a lot of calls from stakeholders hailing the move.

He, however, expressed disappointment that the Minister was not able to get the executive arm of government to exempt the Petroleum Ministry from the proposed 40% budget cut, a situation he said could affect the implementation of key projects.Meanwhile, the Minister has pledged Nigeria’s support for the fledgling petroleum industry in Uganda.

She made this promise in her office on Tuesday while receiving the Ugandan Minister of Mineral Development, Honourable Lokeris Peter, who led a delegation of Ugandan lawmakers on a courtesy visit.

Alison_Madueke who expressed appreciation for the visit said Nigeria was ready to develop a robust partnership with Uganda to ensure the speedy development of her petroleum sector in the spirit of African brotherhood.

She said beyond a memorandum of understanding that had earlier been signed between the two countries for cooperation, she would fashion out a strategic framework complete with timelines and schedules for policy development between the two countries.

Hon. Lokeris who spoke earlier said he came to Nigeria to follow up on discussions held between the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, and late President Umaru Yar’Adua, on possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in the area of hydrocarbon exploration upon the discovery of crude oil in his country.

He said though a memorandum of understanding had been signed by both countries, he felt there was need for him to come and interact with her Nigerian counterpart and map out the areas of cooperation.

He said his country would love to tap into the experience of Nigeria in the area of crude oil exploration with a view to developing expertise, adding that as a land_locked country, Uganda has decided to refine its crude oil within the country and that they would need assistance in training in order to develop small Ugandan companies to participate in the sector.

Lokeris said his country was also willing to learn about the new petroleum industry legislation in Nigeria to help it fashion out laws to regulate its nascent petroleum industry.

On hand to welcome the Ugandan Minister of Mineral Development and his entourage were the Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, Dr Emmanuel Egboga, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Engr. Austen Oniwon, and Directors in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.