The National Gas Empowerment Group(NGEP) has developed a gaspreneurship initiative programme to account for the creation of more jobs in the economy through focusing on Vocational Skills.
Hence, a technical working group(TWG) has been established to supervise the utilization, implementation, and establishments of gas power projects in local government areas across the nation.
The NGEP in collaboration with the National Directorate of employment(NDE), Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGN) will work together for effective results and the promotion of gas based economic development and job creation in local communities.
Ambassador Nicholas Agbor Ella the permanent secretary, ministry of Petroleum Resources who inaugurated the Technical Work Group(TWG) explained that the gaspreneurship programme encompasses the art and science of the gas valued chain including its exploration, production, transmission, and distribution.
In his words,
“Gaspreneurship initiative, conceived and developed by the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), encompasses the art and science of the entire gas value chain,”
He also expressed that,
” The comprehensive training component covers:- Entire gas streams and operating principles- Audit of machinery and equipment types and capacity for suitable system installation and calibration”.
Moving further, Professor Mohammed Ibrahim, the chairman of NGEP, informed TWG of the role of ALGON in motivating local governments to identify and develop gas-based projects and promote economic growth and job creation in the Local Government Areas.
He opined that the NDE agree and developed in the 774 local governments, a center for skill acquisition alongside a curriculum comprising topics for the training.
At the conclusion of the programme,gaspreneurs (beneficiaries of this programme) will go home with Starter Packs and equipments . This will enable them become employers of labour after graduation.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the NGEP, ALGON and NDE Technical Working Group (TWG) include;
1. identifying clear areas of intervention along the gas value chains that can transform the socio-economics of the LGAs.
2.designing a simple energy (power and transportation) audit template for determining the energy requirements of the LGAs.
3. designing a selection criterion for LGAs to participate in the various phases of the implementation of these initiatives, among others.
During this process, Technical Working Group (TWG) members were drawn from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (NGEP), NDE and ALGON. They are
Listed below:
1. Chairman of NGEP, Prof. M. M. Ibrahim mni,
2. Assistant Director (Information) Mr. Christopher Ugwuegbulam
3. Assistant Chief Geologist/Head of NGEF Secretariat, Ogidikpe Ayauge
4. Assistant Chief Petroleum Engineer/Deputy Head of NGEP Secretariat Engr. Raphael Chinda
5. Principal Executive Officer(GD)/Member of NGEP Secretariat Mrs. Hauwa A. Kazir
6. Manager NMDPRA/Member NGEP Secretariat Mrs. Pricillia Ekpe,
Chief Petroleum Engineer/Member of NGEP Secretariat Engr. Okoro Dickson.
Others are the Director (Planning, Research and Statistics) NDE Mr. Onwuliri Edmund; Assistant Chief Rural Employment Promotion Officer NDE Mrs. Owan M. Blessing; Assistant Chief Training Officer NDE Dr. Hassan A. Abdulkarim; Principal Administrative Officer NDE Mrs. Jerry Usuwa.
Members also included: ALGON Chairman Ebonyi State, Chief Moses O. Nomeh; ALGON Chairman Bayelsa State Hon. Lelei Tariye Isaa; ALGON Chairman Katsina State, Hon. Bello Lawal; Director (Finance and Accounts) ALGON Headquarters Abuja Alh. Salawu N. Ozigi and Director (Policy, Research and Planning) ALGON Headquarters Abuja Chief Dimeji Lamu.
This information was contained in a release by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and signed by Mrs Oluwakemi Ogunmakinwa, deputy director (Information and Public Relations).
