FG promises strategies to bring down cost of cooking gas.

The Federal Government has assured it citizen it will take necessary steps to bring down the cost of cooking gas across the country as it is worried about the situation.

This is as the government has said that it needs N6 billion for the procurement of kits to convert the first one million cars as well as facilitate the procurement of equipment that will enable gas pump stations to come on board in its move to ensure the transition of cars from the use of petrol to gas.

This was disclosed by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, while speaking to state house correspondents, after the official presentation of the 2 newly appointed Chief Executive Officers of newly created agencies.

Sylva, who was in the company of the CEO of the Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed and CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, said that the President is worried over the rising cost of cooking gas just like other Nigerians.

According to NAN, Sylva said that although the price of the essential commodity is not regulated by Nigeria, some steps would be taken internally to provide some relief, ahead of the yuletide season.

The Minister in his statement said, “We must understand that cooking gas is not subsidized. It is already a deregulated commodity so the price is not determined by the government or anybody here in Nigeria. In fact, gas prices are determined internationally.

“The price of gas internationally now affects the price of gas in our country.

“But there are some issues around Value Added Tax (VAT) charges and other taxes on imported gas, which we are handling.