The Ministers of State for Energy (GAS) as well as for Petroleum, Mr. Emmanuel Odusina, and Odein Ajumogobia respectively have engaged their counterparts from Republics of Benin, Togo and Ghana in close door meeting in Abuja over what they perceived as pressing issues frustrating the completion and commissioning of the 678 km West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) project that was billed for completion December, last year.

Odusina, at the opening of the meeting, said that the countries are particularly concerned about the lingering issue of Pipeline vandalisation and attack on personnel, with at least a recorded death of a high ranking expatriate staff..

He said that part of the issues to be deliberated would be how to assure targeted customers of the WAGP Project the availability and sustenance of gas from Nigeria.
The issue of contractual problems was also included in the deliberation.

“Today I am pleased to note that due to our collective efforts. The vandalised portion of the Escravos, Lagos Pipeline Section has been repaired and the remaining work on WAGP are completed there”, he said.

“This means that all the conditions are fulfilled to ship Free Flow Gas in WAGP, while work on the Compressor Station is continuing”, the minister said.

Collaborating the stand of Odusina, the Managing Director of the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAGPco), Mr. Jack Derekson, said the main Contractor, Wilbros Nigeria Limited, has been reneging on contractual obligations, so much that WAGPco is shopping for a new contractor that would handle Compressor Stations in Lagos beach and the metering stations in Cotonou, Lome and Tema.

According to him, about 99 per cent of the gas pipeline have been laid and that gas delivery to Takoradi in Ghana is possible in the next few weeks, but that for the entire project to be completed, the Compressor stations have to be built and that it would take not less than eight months to be executed.
On his part, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commissioner for infrastructure, Mr. Cumba Kadje said that the Commission was on the verge of formulating regulations that would ensure the security of investment in the region and regulations.

WAGP is owned by the following companies (with approximate ownership percentages): Chevron West African Gas Pipeline Ltd (36.7%); Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (25%); Shell Overseas Holdings Limited (18%); and Takoradi Power Company Limited (16.3%), Societe Togoliase de Gaz (2%) and Societe BenGaz S.A. (2%).

WAGP natural gas, a purified Natural Gas free of heavy hydrocarbons, liquids and water is ideally suited as a fuel for Power Plant and Industrial applications.
The outcome of the meeting is still not made public