The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said that the Federal Government plans to inject 10 million gas cylinders in the next one year, through certified marketers in 12 pilot states.

Osinbajo disclosed this at a two-day Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sensitisation under the theme: “Stimulating Delta state’s socio-economic growth through LPG adoption and expansion”, on Monday, in Asaba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN reports that the programme was organised by the National LPG Expansion Implementation Plan (NLEIP) under the Office of the Vice President, in collaboration with the Delta state government.

Represented by Mr Dayo Adeshina, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on LPG and National Programme Manager on NLEIP, stated that two states had been selected from each geopolitical zone for the pilot programme.

The Vice President said that the Federal Government was committed to ensuring an end to gas-flaring and had signed the climate change bill, to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the country.

He noted that the country had proven gas reserves of 260 trillion cubits feet (tcf) and unproven reserve of 600tcf, adding that all that would remain statistics if stakeholders failed to take proactive measures on exploiting the resource.

According to him, this sensitisation has come at a very crucial time, because Delta state plays a significant role in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

“Nigeria is gas rich as well as oil, unfortunately the concentration has been on oil, when we have 260tcf of proven gas reserve and 600tcf unproven gas reserves, all those figures will remain statistics unless we do something about it.

“A state like Delta is crucial because of the abundant gas available here, Gas flaring must come to an end and we must make use of resources that will come from ending gas-flaring.

“This programme is crucial because of the several advantages attached to usage of gas: the same cooking gas can be used to power vehicles, the power sector can also take advantage of the same LPG.

“Delta being one of the 12 pilot states, two from each geopolitical zone, where for the next one year, we will concentrate on making sure that both the state, industry and the people enjoy the advantages of this fuel.

“It was set up in 2017, and it was critical for us to look at the regulatory environment and also a way that distribution of gas is carried out in the country.

“Today, you buy your cylinder, I buy my cylinder, that is about to change that is why the 12 pilot states were chosen, so from consumer-cylinder-owned model, we are hoping to transit to marketers’ cylinder-owned model.

“Two reasons for this, the regulations for LPG cylinders states that five years after manufacture the cylinder is supposed to recertified. 10 years after reverify that cylinder, and 15 years after that cylinder should be scrapped.

“But, today, cylinders in peoples’ homes are 20 years and above, so that is a huge safety hazard, so how do we retract those cylinders with causing problems.

“So, the starting point for us is that we have engaged two plants to manufacture cylinders and we will inject five to 10 million cylinders within the 12 pilots states in the next one year.

“The marketer will be given these cylinders and they are responsible to ensure that the cylinders get to your homes”, the vice president said.

Osinbajo warned that households must endeavour to change other gas accessories to avoid gas explosions, adding that effective maintenance and adherence to the safety rule would prevent any accident, as gas remains the safest among other fuels.

He charged the state governments to develop polices and programme to ensure safety at the gas filling plants as well as the retailing points in the state, to enable the consumers get value for their monies.