Participants at the just-ended
International Gas Conference have told the
Federal Government to remove special gas prices
fixed for government-owned industries and allow
commercial negotiations with gas producers.
The National Electric Power Authority is
a major utility that currently enjoys
preferential prices fixed by the government.
In a communiqu�Eissued at the end of the
conference, which was made available to our
correspondent on Thursday, participants at the
forum said that the removal of special prices
would attract investment and effective
participation in the sector.
The
operators said that the prevalence of commercial
negotiations would ensure adequate pricing in
the domestic market and encourage the
participation of local investors in the gas
industry.
The end of the government
interference in the pricing mechanism would also
create a level playing field in the downstream
of the industry and assist the government in
achieving higher local content in the gas
industry, they said.
The
communiqu�Esigned by President of Nigeria Gas
Association, Mr. Andrew Jamieson and Chairman of
Conference General Session, Senator Jonathan
Zwingina said a market driven pricing structure
would ensure provision of sound infrastructure
as well as favourable fiscal and monetary
standards.
It would, according to the
recommendations of the NGA, encourage greater
participation in the financing of gas projects
by Nigerian financial institutions by reducing
or eliminating transaction costs, especially
loan stamp duty.
Appropriate pricing
mechanism would also facilitate the
implementation of the National Gas Policy and
the passage of relevant portions into law and
also ensure that the gas policy is reviewed and
updated periodically to ensure currency of
objectives.
Industry operators were also
advised at the forum to provide funding
assistance through the financial institutions
and participate in more gas gathering and
utilisations projects.
They were also
urged to develop measures and schemes to ensure
high level of accountability, human capacity
building and development of world-class centres
of excellence in Nigeria.
�We are
conscious of the need to increase the
participation of Nigerians in the industry and
make the economy a diversified one with gas as a
major component, using the right technology and
right people,�Ethe communique said
Axiom PSI Yam Festival Series, Iri Ji Nd'Igbo the Kola-Nut Series,Nigeria Masterweb
Norimatsu| Nigeria Forum |
Biafra | Biafra
Nigeria | BLM | Hausa Forum
| Biafra
Web | Voice of
Biafra | Okonko Research and Igbology| | Igbo World | BNW | MASSOB | Igbo
Net | bentech | IGBO FORUM
| HAUSANET (AWUSANET) | AREWA FORUM
| YORUBANET | YORUBA FORUM
| New Nigeriaworld | WIC:World Igbo Congress
