Rivers

High Cost Of LPG Worries PH Residents

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

Residents of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, have expressed fears over the increasing cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, stressing that the development will create unsettled economic challenges.
They said the spiralling cost of the product is disincentive to the Federal Government’s campaign for the use of gas and clean energy transmission.
Speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt over the development, a dealer in the sector, Mr Taiwo Ayodele said there is heavy switch from cooking gas to charcoal and other unacceptable fuel inspite of ongoing option for zero emission on the environment.
He stated that the ravaging flood in Nigeria recently has had its toll on the energy sector having destroyed gas facilities in the country, forcing the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Limited to declare force majeure on its gas operations for over three weeks running.
Ayodele stated that there are concerns over the action of the company and its implication to the supply of the product as well as their purchasing power.
According to him, “some domestic users of the product lamented that it is a question of time for the price of cooking gas to skyrocket.
“There was panic purchasing of cooking gas by consumers of the product in some parts of the State and county in order to stave off likely increase in the cost of cooking gas”.
Lending credence to the issue , a lecturer in the Department of Petro- Chemical Engineering, Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu, Port-Harcourt, Dr. Desmond Amakiri, urged Nigerians on the need to not rush to fill their gas cylinders, noting that there are enough quantities of LPG to satisfy the market.
Amakiri said the flooding or force majeure declared has no impact on LPG availability, adding that the NLNG account for 40 percent supply of gas in the domestic market and in recent times has been the sole supplier for the domestic market.
He explained that the firm’s plant was in operation at a limited capacity, due to reduced gas supply from some of its upstream gas suppliers.
“None of NLNG’s assets on Bonny Isand or in any of its host communities are impacted by the flood. The Force Majeure is as a consequence of a similar notice by upstream gas suppliers due to the impact of flood in their production facilities.
“NLNG continues to monitor the situation with upstream gas suppliers and is currently evaluating the impact of the flood on its business”, he said.
The university don assured that the company is working with critical stakeholders to mitigate the impact on product deliveries.
Meanwhile, another marketer of LPG in the state, Mrs. Sonia Ndukwe, revealed that some Nigerians paid as much as N15,000 for a 12.5kg LPG as at September, 2022.
According to her, average price of 5kg cooking gas increased from #4,397.68 in July to #4,456.56 in August, 2022, vindicating a 1.34 percent increase on a month- to- month basis from what was obtained in July.
Ndukwe, however, appealed for calm, saying that normalcy would be restored, and that “cooking gas consumers need not panic about a possible scarcity of the product as a result of the force majeure”.
She stated that, “based on information reaching distributors, marketers and consumers, NLNG has not shut down its production facility in Bonny as rumoured.
According to her, LNLG had recently shipped a cargo of LPG for the domestic market and assured the consuming public that the supply of LPG from NLNG has not stopped.
“We should not give chance for price hike due to speculated shortage of the product. Nigerians are already in hard times sequel to the war between Russia and Ukraine which had caused upset in the markets and scarcity”, Ndukwe said.

By: Theresa Frederick

Rivers

Fubara Approves Building Admin Block, Hostels, Others For IAUE

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the construction of key infrastructural projects in Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE).

The Governor, who gave the approval midweek during his maiden visit to the institution, was responding to requests made by the Chairman of the Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor of the university, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, said his administration will do everything possible to improve the current state of the University.

Addressing the crowd, comprising virtually the entire university community and its host community, after a tour of the Main Campus, the Governor explained that he had come based on the request made by the Governing Council Chairman to provide additional facilities in the school.

Earlier, the Governing Council boss, Amiesimaka, had stressed the need for the Rivers State Government to intervene urgently in critical areas of the institution.

He noted that the achievements and progress recorded by the institution in terms of infrastructural development were mainly those provided by TETFund, though the University is under the control of the Rivers State Government.

He, however, lauded the University’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, “for managing the institution very well despite the lack of government presence”.

In his response, the Governor automatically granted the request made for the building of new hostels for both male and female students, a new administrative block, a health center, and a sports complex.

Addressing students of the university, Fubara appealed to them to “use the rare opportunity provided for them to attain sound education”.

He also urged them to ensure that they remain focused and achieve the purpose for which they are in the university.

Sogbeba Dokubo

Rivers

Group Predicts Garden City Status Return For Rivers … Lauds Fubara Over New RIWAMA Boss’ Appointment

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2025

The Tide

An environmental health advocacy group in Nigeria, the Community Health and Advocacy Initiative (CHAIN), has said Rivers State will soon return to its Garden City status.

The South-South Project Coordinator of CHAIN, Engr. Sunny Andy Dimkpa, who stated this recently on the sidelines of a two-day workshop themed “Eat, Clean and Live” in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, said this is due to the leadership style and focus of the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.

“Under the leadership of an astute administrator like Governor Fubara, who possesses extensive field knowledge in community health and the Rivers State environment, meaningful progress can be achieved”, he said.

Dimkpa used the fora to commend the State Governor for responding to the concerns of environmental stakeholders by strengthening waste management operations in the state, particularly with the appointment of Hon. Orukwem Amadi-Opareli as the Managing Director of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA).

He further praised the Governor for identifying young talents to drive key sectors of his economic reforms, noting that Amadi-Opareli’s leadership at RIWAMA signals the beginning of a transformative era for sanitation in Rivers State.

Describing Amadi-Opareli’s appointment as a clear testament to the Governor’s commitment to ridding Port Harcourt and its environs of filth, the CHAIN boss expressed optimism about the possibility of restoring Port Harcourt to its former Garden City status.

Towards this end, Dimkpa urged the new RIWAMA helmsman to “align the agency’s core mandate with Governor Fubara’s Sectoral Focus on Environment and Sanitation, while taking deliberate steps to engage communities and retraining of sanitation enforcement agents as a means of facilitating the efficient implementation of waste management policies”.

He also advocated for an improved sanitary culture among Rivers State residents, calling for the revival of the state’s monthly sanitation exercise.

Soibi Max-Alalibo

Rivers

Farmers Urge Govt, Corporate Bodies For Support … Wants More Youths In Farming

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2025

The Tide

The Association of Farmers and Food Processors in Rivers State has called on government and corporate bodies to do more to support practicing farmers in the state in order to successfully tackle the issue of food scarcity and continuous increase in price.

President of the association, Chisom Dike, who made the call while speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt, said the aim is to make food available for Rivers people.

He said the agricultural sector comprises more of the elderly, adding that there is a need for young people to venture into farm business as it help to increase food production and processing across the State.

“We don’t have enough farmers in Rivers State. Also, there are more of elderly people farming in the agric industry. It is a challenge because we are not producing enough food.

“We need more young people, whether male or female, to invest in farming as it is equally a lucrative business”, he said.

The Association of Farmers further called on the government and relevant bodies to see how the effects of flooding can be managed, knowing that great losses have been recorded over the years due to flooding.

“Most times when these flooding occur we lose a lot of top soil which is a major ingredient for planting. We also lose our livestock and also our animals are exposed to infection due to the floods”, he stated.

Dike also commended the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for his interest in the agricultural industry, and for the commissioning of a Board of Directors to oversee the intended projects.

“We will like to appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture and other corporate bodies to be involved in promoting farming and food processing.

“The basic need of everybody is food, and if we can produce these foods, it will help in reducing crime”, he stated.

According to him, the level of criminal activities will be reduced if the price of commodities decreases across the State.

He also called on the State Government to pally with farmers of the state in order to know what their problems are, adding that Local Government Areas need to be equipped to be able to support farmers as most farming are done at the rural levels.

Iragunima Benice