Waive Refutes Claims of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Involvement in Kogi CNG Project as ‘Falsehood’

Member of the House of Representatives for Ughelli North, South, and Udu federal constituency, Hon. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, has responded to controversy surrounding the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) projects in Kogi State, rejecting claims that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan influenced the initiative.

Hon. Waive, who clarified that the Kogi gas plant is an economic decision, not a political one, noted that the gas project fall under the House Committee on Gas, not the Local Content Committee as some have suggested.

The lawmaker also dismissed claims that the current administration initiated the pipeline linking the Niger Delta to Niger Republic. Waive clarified that the project began under former President Muhammadu Buhari and further questioned why Niger Delta lawmakers did not oppose the pipeline during Buhari’s tenure if it was truly controversial.

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“If this project were truly questionable, why did Niger Delta representatives remain silent then?”
Waive stated that the five CNG plants being built in Kogi are driven by the existing gas infrastructure, facilitating distribution to the northern region.

He expressed concern over Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attempts to take credit for the project, stating that this could mislead the public and undermine the work of Niger Delta lawmakers.
Waive called for an end to the politicization of the gas project and the misinformation aimed at damaging reputations.

“Those spreading these falsehoods should reconsider their actions, as misinformation ultimately harms the very people they claim to represent”, he stated.

On October 18, 2024, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) and A4E Energy signed an agreement to build a 100 mmscf/d natural gas facility in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
The facility will supply gas to various facilities in the region, supporting the federal government’s decade of gas and Presidential CNG initiatives aimed at boosting industrialization and transportation.

NNPCL’s CEO Mele Kyari explained that Ajaokuta was chosen for its strategic location, as the company’s pipeline network already reaches the area.