Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has called on the nation’s private sector to invest in methanol production for revenue diversification among other benefits.
Onu made the call in Umuahia at the weekend while speaking during the South East stakeholders sensitization on the implementation of the National policy on Methanol Fuel production technology.
Onu said the world today is gradually reducing its reliance on crude oil to more cost effective, environment friendly and renewable source of energy which he noted methanol fuel has in abundance.
He said: “The methanol policy which we are presenting offers us an opportunity to better utilize our enormous natural gas resources. Methanol can be produced from natural gas which contains as high as 85 percent methane”.
The Minister said by so doing, gas utilization in the country would be significantly increased while gas flaring would be reduced. He added that this would be beneficial to the protection of the environment
particularly in the oil producing Niger Delta area.
“Since methanol is cheaper than PMS (petrol) and has higher octane rating, its use in the transportation sector will not only help in reducing the cost of fuel but will also help improve performance in our vehicles and be friendlier to the environment.