Diri Commends Tinubu’s LPG Initiative, Seeks Extension of Free Refill Period

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has commended President Bola Tinubu for the Federal Government’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Penetration Initiative, describing it as a major step towards improving the welfare of Nigerians and expanding access to clean cooking energy.

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of the Decade of Gas: National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme in Yenagoa, Diri urged the Federal Government to extend the programme’s free cylinder refill period to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Bayelsa became the first state to benefit from the state-level rollout of the initiative, which is expected to provide LPG cylinders to at least 27,000 beneficiaries.

According to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri said the programme would significantly reduce dependence on firewood for cooking, curb deforestation and lessen the environmental impact of indiscriminate tree felling.

He noted that the initiative marked a shift in the Federal Government’s approach by ensuring that oil and gas-producing communities also benefit from cleaner and safer energy sources.

The governor said communities in the Niger Delta had endured decades of environmental degradation, poverty and neglect despite contributing immensely to the nation’s oil and gas wealth, adding that the LPG scheme represents a positive step towards addressing those challenges.

Diri expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas), development partners and sponsors for selecting Bayelsa as the pilot state, noting that the initiative aligns with his administration’s commitment to improving the quality of life of residents.

He explained that the transition from firewood to liquefied petroleum gas would improve public health by reducing exposure to harmful smoke while also protecting the environment.

The governor urged residents to embrace clean cooking energy and abandon the belief that meals prepared with firewood are superior.

While commending the Federal Government for providing beneficiaries with six free cylinder refills, Diri appealed for the grace period to be extended to two years before states assume responsibility for sustaining the programme.

He said the additional time would enable state governments to make adequate budgetary provisions, engage stakeholders and establish structures necessary for the initiative’s success.

Governor Diri also reaffirmed Bayelsa State’s readiness to partner with the Federal Government in expanding access to clean energy and improving citizens’ welfare.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the launch as a historic milestone, noting that Bayelsa is the first state to host the grassroots LPG cylinder distribution programme.

Ekpo said the initiative is designed to increase access to clean cooking energy, reduce dependence on firewood and charcoal, improve public health, protect the environment and create economic opportunities along the LPG value chain in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.

He assured beneficiaries that refill centres would be established closer to communities and reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to keeping LPG affordable.

Earlier, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, Mr. Ed Ubong, said the Federal Government aims to transition five million Nigerian households to LPG by 2030, targeting one million households annually.

Ubong said Bayelsa was chosen as the starting point because it hosts one of Africa’s largest gas processing facilities and occupies a strategic position in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

During a courtesy visit by the minister, Governor Diri also called on President Tinubu to address what he described as an injustice in the distribution of revenues from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company.

According to him, although about 60 per cent of the gas supplied to NLNG is sourced from Bayelsa, taxes and other revenues generated from the operations are remitted to other states instead of Bayelsa.

He argued that the situation has deprived the state of much-needed revenue and contributed to its low internally generated revenue despite its vast natural gas resources.

The governor further highlighted the environmental and health challenges caused by decades of oil exploration and gas flaring in the Niger Delta, noting that the Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commission was established to assess the long-term impact of pollution and recommend appropriate interventions.