Governor Diri Commends Tinubu's LPG Initiative, Seeks Two Year Grace Period

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has commended President Bola Tinubu for the Federal Government's Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Penetration Initiative, describing it as a major step towards improving Nigerians' welfare and expanding access to clean cooking energy.

Diri gave the commendation during the launch of the Decade of Gas National Grassroots LPG Penetration Programme in Yenagoa, where Bayelsa became the first state to benefit from the state-level rollout of the initiative.

The programme is expected to provide LPG cylinders to at least 27,000 vulnerable residents in the state, encouraging a shift from firewood to cleaner cooking fuel.

The governor said the initiative would help reduce deforestation, curb environmental degradation, and improve public health by limiting exposure to harmful smoke from traditional cooking methods.

He noted that the programme signalled a positive change for oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta, which have endured decades of environmental pollution despite contributing significantly to Nigeria's oil and gas sector.

Diri applauded the Federal Government's decision to provide beneficiaries with six free gas cylinder refills but appealed for the grace period to be extended to two years before states assume responsibility for sustaining the programme.

According to him, the extension would allow state governments adequate time to plan, engage stakeholders and make budgetary provisions for the programme's long-term sustainability.

The governor also urged residents to embrace clean cooking energy and abandon the belief that food prepared over a firewood fire is superior.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Dr Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the launch as a historic milestone, saying the initiative aligns with President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda and is aimed at making clean cooking energy more accessible, reducing reliance on firewood and charcoal, protecting the environment and creating economic opportunities across the LPG value chain.

Ekpo assured beneficiaries that refill centres would be established closer to communities to improve access and pledged the Federal Government's commitment to keeping LPG affordable.

The Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, Ed Ubong, said the Federal Government plans to transition five million Nigerian households to LPG by 2030, targeting one million households annually.

During a separate courtesy visit by the minister, Governor Diri raised concerns over what he described as an unfair revenue allocation from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company.

He said that although about 60 per cent of the gas supplied to the NLNG originates from Bayelsa, the taxes generated by the company are paid to other states rather than to Bayelsa.

The governor urged President Tinubu to address what he described as a longstanding injustice, stressing that the situation has deprived the state of significant revenue while its people continue to bear the environmental and health consequences of oil exploration and gas flaring.