President Bola Tinubu is set to inaugurate three important gas infrastructure projects being carried out by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its collaborators.

The projects contribute to the federal government’s objective of maximizing value from the country’s gas resources and reducing gas flaring.

According to the President’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale who spoke on Friday, the Tinubu administration has expedited the completion of projects since the beginning, aligning with the overarching goal of enhancing the availability of domestic gas as a crucial factor for economic growth.

The projects scheduled for commissioning consist of:

1. The AHL Gas Processing Plant 2 (GPP – 2) has a capacity to process 200 million standard cubic feet per day.

This expansion project pertains to the Kwale Gas Processing Plant (GPP – 1), which presently meets the gas demands of the domestic market with approximately 130 million standard cubic feet per day. The processing facility is engineered to handle 200 million standard cubic feet per day of high-quality gas and transport lean gas via the OB3 Gas Pipeline.

This enhanced gas provision will bolster the ongoing swift industrial development in Nigeria. The establishment of the AHL Gas Plant is being spearheaded by AHL Limited, a joint venture entity jointly owned by NNPC Limited and SEEPCO.

2. ANOH Gas Processing Plant (AGPC) – 300MMscf/d

The ANOH gas facility is a comprehensive gas processing plant with the capacity to process 300 million standard cubic feet per day of non-linked gas extracted from the Assa North-Ohaji South field in Imo State. This gas plant is currently under construction by ANOH Gas Processing Company, a jointly owned entity by NNPC Limited and Seplat Energy Plc, with both parties having an equal share in ownership.

3. ANOH-OB3 CTMS Gas Pipeline Project

The project consists of designing, acquiring, and building the 36”x23.3km ANOH-OB3 Project. It is estimated that around 600 million standard cubic feet of gas per day will be produced from two independent gas processing production trains with capacities of 2 x 300MMscf/d each, operated by AGPC & SPDC JV.

Upon completion, the projects will enhance domestic gas supply by around 500 million standard cubic feet per day, fostering a favorable investment environment and advancing overall economic development over time.

Some yet-to-be-identified gunmen have reportedly abducted Archbishop Uka Uka Osim of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star.

Naija Latest Gist learnt that the cleric, his wife, Anne Osim and son, Roland Uka Osim, and three other clerics from the ministry were abducted on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Abia State while travelling to Awka, the capital of Anambra State.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent trip to an economic summit in Saudi Arabia was allegedly marred by a series of aircraft mishaps, forcing him to rely on commercial aviation operators and charter jets to reach his destination.

The president’s main luxury jet, a Boeing 737 business jet class operated by the Nigerian Air Force 001, has been under maintenance for several weeks, while a second aircraft developed technical issues, including an oxygen leak, in the Netherlands, according to Peoples Gazette.

As a result, President Tinubu and his delegation had to leave behind the Nigerian government aircraft and use a charter jet company to facilitate their onward journey to Saudi Arabia for the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

The president and some of his aides traveled on a Falcon 8X 9H-GRC private jet, while others, including ministers and high-ranking officials, used separate support aircraft and commercial airlines.

This incident is not the first for the presidential air fleet, which has been plagued by maintenance issues and repairs over the years. According to records, the Boeing 737 has been taken for extensive repairs at least seven times over the past three years, with over $8 million spent fixing the plane since December 2022 alone.

The presidential air fleet has a long history of reliability issues, with the current Boeing 737 business jet class operated by the Nigerian Air Force 001 being one of the oldest in the fleet. The plane was ordered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and delivered on April 14, 2005. It has served all Nigerian presidents in the uninterrupted Fourth Republic, earning a reputation as one of the most iconic features of the Nigerian presidency.

However, the plane’s age and frequent breakdowns have raised concerns among officials and aviation experts. In February 2019, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo survived a crash while traveling on a chartered helicopter for a scheduled campaign event. Although the report of a formal investigation into the crash was never made public, initial questions were raised about the helicopter’s operators’ poor maintenance culture.

Since then, concerns have simmered among officials, with many calling for the replacement of the aging planes. “Many of us in this administration are more concerned about the clear danger that the planes are signaling than any ridicule from their frequent breakdowns,” an official said. “We are being told that the planes are old and there should be serious consideration towards their replacement.”

The incident has also sparked debate about the cost of maintaining the presidential air fleet. With over $8 million spent on repairs since December 2022 alone, many are questioning whether it is worth the expense. “It’s a significant amount for a country of 230 million with an unenviable reputation as the world’s poverty capital,” said an aviation expert told Peoples Gazette. “The money could be better spent on other crucial areas of economic development.”

In the meantime, President Tinubu and his delegation have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the World Economic Forum, where they will engage in economic and diplomatic discussions with world leaders.