Methanol production will create jobs, wealth in Nigeria — Onu

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has said that Methanol Production Technology will create jobs and wealth in Nigeria.

A statement by Abdulganiyu Aminu, the ministry’s spokesman, in Abuja, said the minister made this known at the Second Inter-Ministerial meeting of the implementation of the National Policy on Methanol Fuel Production Technology.

“Nigeria’s enormous gas resources will be converted into useful products, through methanol technology, thereby paving the way for other businesses to grow.

“The introduction of methanol technology will go a long way in reducing gas flaring in the environment,” Onu said.

He noted that the demand for gas by businesses would tremendously reduce gas flaring.

The minister said that the Federal Government had intended to end gas flaring in Nigeria, adding that with methanol technology production a large amount of gas flared would be converted to methanol.

He further said that with methanol usage of kerosene and firewood to cook would be reduced to the barest minimum thereby reducing deforestation.

“Methanol is a major raw material in industrial production and will impact positively on transportation, power generation and manufacturing.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Bello Umar, had called on the committee to ensure thorough work was done toward the immediate implementation of the policy.

Umar said it was for the good of the nation and to boost the revenue drive of the Federal Government.