The Lagos State Government has lauded Techno Oil Limited for building a landmark 8,400-tonne capacity LPG coastal terminal at Kirikiri in Apapa, Lagos.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the commendation in Lagos in a message read on his behalf at the commissioning of the LPG Terminal by the state’s Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Olalere Odusote.
He said that the management of Techno Oil had demonstrated an uncommon resolve to contribute to the emancipation of Lagos State investing in the gas project.
He recalled the building of an LPG cylinder manufacturing plant in Lagos State last year, describing the gas sector as a key component of his administration’s quest to make Lagos a 21st Century economy.
The governor said that he strongly believed that pivoting Lagos State to a gas-powered economy would offer an array of economic and environmental benefits to its residents.
“Developments such as this will help to promote and deepen domestic LPG utilisation across the state, thereby reducing the state’s carbon footprint and ultimately benefiting the people of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. ”
“We have the paramount duty of institutionalising a culture of safety and professionalism in the industry and my administration is committed to an all-inclusive and participatory effort that will accelerate growth in the sector,’’ he said.
Similarly, in a message, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva said that Nigeria had ear-marked the year 2020 to be the beginning of the decade of gas.
According to him, this is a period in which the national economy is programmed for expansion using the abundant natural gas resources of the country.
Sylva, whose message was read by Dr Musa Zaki, a Deputy Director in the Department of Petroleum Resources, said that central to the aspiration was the deepening of LPG penetration in the country.
In a speech, Mrs Nkechi Obi, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Techno Oil, said that the terminal would generate up to 2,000 jobs in the months ahead.
Obi pleaded with the Federal Government to come to the rescue of Nigerian industrialists in their bid to contribute to the economic growth of the nation.
“We plead with government to provide funding to industrialists in building key facilities such as the one being commissioned.
“Government should consider reactivating its butanization plants and also building new ones across the country to guarantee LPG availability nationwide.
“Similarly, it is also time for government to embark on media campaign to sensitise the populace on the benefits of LPG over other cooking fuels.
“More so, government agencies and regulatory bodies should enforce the rules to sanitise the space for a safe and profitable business environment.
“We remain thankful to the Lagos State government for being a worthy host by providing the much appreciated conducive environment for our business to thrive.
“This is yet another of our numerous projects being hosted in Lagos. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.