The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria on Tuesdaysaid that sustained shortage of gas had remained a major threat to sustainable electricity power supply in the country.
The National President of IPMAN, Chinedu Okoronkwo, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
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He, however, said that in spite of the gas challenge, some areas in the country had started enjoying 18-hour uninterrupted power supply.
He noted that new investments in the power sector, including procurement of equipment by the investors and upgrade of infrastructure, were contributing to the improved power supply in parts of the country.
Okoronkwo appealed for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill in its original context to open up the oil and gas sector so that jobs would be created to mitigate the country’s growing unemployment.
He said: “I appeal to the relevant stakeholders and credible organisations like NUPENG, IPMAN and Petroleum Trust Development Fund to prevail on the National Assembly to the pass the Bill with clear separation of policy formulation, regulation and operation roles.
“When the oil and gas sectors are opened up, jobs will be created to take care of the teeming unemployed population.”