The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), in collaboration with Safegas Consulting & Technical Services Limited, recently educated thousands of residents in the Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State on the safe use of Condensed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The seminar occurred at the local government headquarters in Okpoga on Saturday, November 30, 2024. During the event, the resource person, Mr. Julius Acha, a certified Safety Professional highlighted the advantages of choosing LPG and CNG over traditional cooking methods, such as using firewood.

He pointed out that cooking with charcoal or firewood and other air-polluting methods of heat generation poses health risks and emphasized that LPG and CNG are safer alternatives. The resource persons explained that both LPG and CNG are clean, non-polluting, eco-friendly options that are easy to transport, store, and use.

Additionally, it was noted that the seminar aligns with the Federal Government's goal of making cooking gas available in all 774 Local Government Areas and making CNG affordable by 2030. Mr. Julius also shared information about various government initiatives aimed at achieving these objectives.

"The government in some states is already distributing free gas cylinders through the LPG Cylinder Distribution Programme. The government is working to transition 250,000 homes to clean cooking within the next decade.

"Domestic pricing framework: The government is creating a domestic pricing framework that indexes prices to the cost of in-country production.

"Stop exporting LPG: Starting November 1, 2024, LPG producers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) will stop exporting LPG produced in the country.

Update news