The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) on Thursday commended the Federal Government for the removal of Value-Added Tax (VAT) on locally sourced Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The NALPGAM President, Mr Nosa Ogieva-Okunbor, said on Thursday in Lagos that the Federal Government had approved the removal of VAT on LPG and gazetted the same.

According to him, the clamour for VAT removal from domestically produced LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas, has been of perennial concern to members of the association.

“We express our profound gratitude to the Federal Government and all relevant government agencies for listening to our plea to remove VAT from LPG products sourced locally.

“We also want to use this opportunity to thank and appreciate the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for its timely directive stopping the inappropriate and indiscriminate installation of skid plants in petrol stations,’’ Ogieva-Okunbor said in a statement.

He said the directive that all skid plants in filling stations be dismantled and removed was apt, considering the huge danger they constitute to the public in the operations.

He appealed for a proper and thorough implementation of the directive across the country.

The NALPGAM boss urged government to create a more conducive and enabling environment for investors in the industry, particularly now that deepening the consumption of LPG in the country had become one of its major interest.

He said marketers were also geared toward ensuring the success of the programme by complementing government’s efforts.

“We appeal for a reduction on the import duty on LPG equipment and accessories.

“The increased awareness of LPG usage has seen consumption in Nigeria growing from 50,000MT in 2007 to over 600,000MT in 2018 with more indigenous investments in LPG bottling plants.

“This will further ensure that majority of Nigerians enjoyed the convenience of the proximity of LPG refill or exchange points.

“We implore the federal and state governments to initiate a well-funded social welfare programme to expand the usage of LPG,’’ the NALPGAM boss said. (NAN)

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