• Insecurity, others delay
By Adewale Sanyaolu
THE Federal Government has assured that the 614 kilometer
Ajaokuta, Kaduna, Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project would be
delivered between July and August 2024.
Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe
Ekpo, gave the assurance during a tour of the project site yester-
day. The Minister further told the contractor to ensure comple-
tion within the July/August 2024 completion timeframe .
Spokesperson to the minister, Mr.Louis Ibah, said Ekpo had
expressed concerns over the slow pace of work, demanding
from Oilserv Limited, the contractor handling the segment one
of the project, when exactly the project would be completed.
Ekpo said the economic prosperity of Nigeria was tied to the
AKK project as it was designed to supply gas to homes, auto-
mobiles, electricity and industrial users within Abuja, Kaduna,
Kano and adjourning states of the federation.
“I appreciate what the contractors are doing. But I want you
to know that the prosperity of Nigeria depends on this project
because energy is synonymous with prosperity, and when this
project is completed we will have energy security in our country;
investors can then come in to do business and also create jobs for
our citizens,” Ekpo said.
“There will be CNG for cars and LPG will be made available
for more homes. Industries and power stations will also benefit
from this project. This project holds the keys to the growth of
our economy and in fact, we have enough gas for the project,”
he added.
Responding, Chairman of Oilserv Limited, Emeka Okwuosa,
said the project would be ready for inauguration between July
and August 2024.
Okwuosa listed some of the challenges slowing down the AKK
gas pipeline to include insecurity in neighbouring Niger State
and a right-of-way characterised with rocks and rivers.
He however said the company was working with the NNPCL
and security agencies to curtail the pockets of insecurity and
ensure contractors work both day and at night to meet the July/
August 2024 deadline that it has set.
The minister who was accompanied on the tour by the Au-
thority Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream
Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, top officials of
the NNPC and other industry stakeholders told the contractors
to stick to the July/August deadline.