NNPC says 12billiion Dollars Trans-Saharan gas pipeline project still on track

The 12 billion dollars Trans-Saharan gas pipeline project is on track, Tumini Green, the acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, NNPC, said on Thursday in Abuja.

When functional the Trans-Saharan gas pipeline is expected to deliver Nigerian gas through Niger Republic to Algeria and Europe.

Green said the project was ongoing contrary to speculations that it had been abandoned. ``The project is ongoing in spite of the numerous challenges threatening to stall it.

``The Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and Algeria has been signed; feasibility study for the project has been concluded and the process of laying pipes from Calabar through Kano is about to begin,’’ she said.

Green said that the NNPC was already exploring various Public Private Partnership initiatives to source funds for the project, adding that the relevant authorities were already working on a holistic approach to the project.

She, however, called for the quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill currently before the National Assembly in order to fast track the actualisation of the project.

``The project is still on but I can assure you that the quick passage of the bill will go a long way in fast tracking the actualisation of the project.’’

------DAILY TIMES, January 31, 2013