By Stella Odueme
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Nicholas Agbo Ella, has inaugurated the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), National Directorate of Employment (NDE), and Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) power project to oversee the utilization, implementation and establishment of Gas Power Projects in local government areas across the nation.
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Amb. Ella highlighted NDE’s strong focus on Vocational Skills Development Programme, a core mandate that aligns with NGEP’s Gaspreneurship initiative.
He explained that the Gaspreneurship initiative, developed by NGEP, encompasses the art and science of all aspects of the gas value chain, including exploration, production, transmission, and distribution.
The TWG will drive the implementation of this initiative, fostering collaboration among NGEP, NDE, and ALGON to promote gas-based economic development and job creation in local communities.
“Gaspreneurship initiative, conceived and developed by the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP), encompasses the art and science of the entire gas value chain,” said Amb. Ella.
According to the Permanent Secretary, “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”
The Gaspreneurship Initiative would conclude with the provision of Starter Packs, including diagnostic tools and equipment, and identification of appropriate workshops and Business Incubation Centres in Local Government Areas nationwide and this would enable Trainee Gaspreneurs to become employers of labour upon graduation.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of NGEP, Prof. Mohammed Ibrahim emphasized the Technical Working Group of ALGON’s role in energizing Local Governments to identify and develop gas-based projects and promote economic growth and job creation in the Local Government Areas.
Prof. Ibrahim therefore charged the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to upgrade and develop the Skills Acquisition Centres in all the 774 LGAs under their supervision as well as develop curriculum that would have all the topics relating to empowerment training.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) for the NGEP, ALGON and NDE Technical Working Group (TWG) are as follows: identify clear areas of intervention along the gas value chains that can transform the socio-economics of the LGAs; design a simple energy (power and transportation) audit template for determining the energy requirements of the LGAs; design a selection criterion for LGAs to participate in the various phases of the implementation of these initiatives, among others.
Membership of the Technical Working Group (TWG) which were drawn from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (NGEP), NDE and ALGON comprised of :
Chairman of NGEP, Prof. M. M. Ibrahim mni,; Assistant Director (Information) Mr. Christopher Ugwuegbulam; Assistant Chief Geologist/Head of NGEF Secretariat, Ogidikpe Ayauge; Assistant Chief Petroleum Engineer/Deputy Head of NGEP Secretariat Engr. Raphael Chinda; Principal Executive Officer(GD)/Member of NGEP Secretariat Mrs. Hauwa A. Kazir; Manager NMDPRA/Member NGEP Secretariat Mrs. Pricillia Ekpe, Chief Petroleum Engineer/Member of NGEP Secretariat Engr. Okoro Dickson.
Others are: 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.
