The Nation Newspaper

Category: Energy

  • Shell eyes 80 per cent gas flaring reduction

    Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has pledged to achieve 80 per cent gas flaring reduction.

    In a report titled: “Shell in Nigeria. Gas flaring”, the Anglo Ducth firm said it would hit that mark at the completion of  some projects.

    The projects include the installation of associated gas capturing equipment in its oil fields including the Gbaran-Ubie integrated oil and gas facility in Bayelsa State and Bonga deepwater in the Niger Delta.

    SPDC said it achieved 75 per cent gas flaring reduction from its facilities between 2012 and 2013.

    It said 80 per cent reduction would be attained once the equipment has been fully installed in its producing facilities in Nigeria. Shell said: “These reductions were the result of a multi-year programme introduced in 2000 to install equipment to capture associated gas from its oil producing facilities. When completed, these projects are expected to take SPDC’s flaring to below current industry average. We intend to reduce gas flaring  by 80 per cent, going by our current efforts of installing equipment that would be capturing gas in our facilities.’’

    It said a reduction of about one-fifth in volume of gas flared recorded in the industry in 2013, was due to lower crude oil production. The firm stated that the fall in crude production was caused by sabotage, theft, and other unwholesome practices in the industry.

    The report said Shell is working with the Federal Government and other companies it has joint venture agreement (JVA) with, to end flaring of associated gas soon. It also noted that Shell is making efforts to further reduce gas flaring, despite the fact that delay of counterpart funding from the government in the JVA stalls efforts of the operators in tackling flaring.

    “Joint Venture funding challenges have resulted in the delay of some gas gathering projects: two of these projects, which were expected to gather an additional 35 per cent of associated gas by 2014/2015, are likely to be delayed. In spite of these, the overall trend in associated gas gathering and flaring reduction is positive and SPDC has plans to drive further reductions.  Shell will continue to work closely with its joint venture partners and other stakeholders to minimise delays to the key projects on which further flare reduction depends,” the report added.

    The President, Association of International Energy Economists (AIEE), Prof Adeola Akinnisiju, said prevention of gas flaring is key to the growth of the oil and gas sector.  He said the more gas that is flared, the more the problems for people living in gas flaring zones.

    Akinnisiju said stakeholders including multinational oil companies, indigenous operators, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), among others, have important roles to play on the issue.

    He said gas that is being flared can be converted and channelled into the power sector for growth.

    Nigeria had made considerable progress in reducing gas flaring in the past decade, surpassing countries like Russia  and Iraq, with Shell playing a key role albeit the unique challenges of executing such infrastructure.

  • Oil spills: Rivers villages insist on clean-up, by Shell

    The row between Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Bodo communities in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State is yet to subside, a week after the oil giant agreed to pay them £55 million (about $83.6 million) compensation to them.

    The communities, which include Romu, Gbe, K&B, Dere and Kpor Gol, want immediate clean-up of their land, and rivers ravaged by two oil spill in 2008 as part of the compensation.

    They said they were still licking their wounds, despite the huge compansation.

    The row will linger because of the disagreement over the volume of oil spilled. While Shell claimed only 1,640 barrels of oil was spilled over the Bodo communities, Amnesty International said over 100,000 barrels of oil was spilled. This resulted in the long litigation, which delayed the clean up of the affected community, because of their inability to reach a compromise.

    Bodo’s Chairman, Council of Chiefs, Mene Slyvester Kogbara, said money cannot adequately compensate for the loss incurred. He said his people incurred  pyschological, mental, and financial losses, adding that the trauma will take time to heal.

    According to him, the memories of those who lost their lives to hydrocarbon emission, hunger, malnutrition and other problems caused by the spills remain alive, arguing that only a proper clean up would remove the pains.

    He said: “Bodo people eat, drink and sleep on hydrocarbon. On the average, eight people die every six weeks from unknown ailmentss since there is no functional hospital to detect their illnesses. This is the big trauma people have been struggling to overcome. To reduce mortality rate, we are asking Shell to urgently clean up our rivers and land. Besides, productivity would be enhanced because people would go back to farming and fishing- their two major occupations

    ‘’Traditionally, Bodo people are farmers and fishermen. Part of the agreement, which Bodo communities reached with Shell, was the payment of £55million compensation, and cleaning of its land. Though Bodo is happy with the £55million compensation, which is divided into two – £35million for individuals who have agreed to be compensated for their losses and £20million for the community. The issue of cleaning the environment is more important to us. Without doubt, we are excited by the planned financial reward, but that cannot compensate for the loss of lives and our sources of livelihood which went with spills.”

    He said Bodo community is inhabited by over 15,000 people, adding that they can only start a new life after their lands and rivers have been cleaned.

    Also, a Director of Programmes, Centre for Envrionment, Human Rights and Deveopment, Steven Obodoekwe, said the communities depend on natural habitats, such as land and rivers for survival.

    He said the organisation was planning a meeting with Bodo communities to ensure that Shell fast-tracks the cleaning so that the people can engage in profitable ventures.

    Obodoekwe said the meeting was crucial because oil spills were threatening the existence of the community, and needed to be resolved.

    He said: ‘’Our organisation , which is based in Port Harcourt, was involved in the legal process that led to the compensation of Bodo people, and wants to see that all the agreements between Shell and the communities are abide with.’’

     The Environmental Adviser to an international organisation, the Nigeria-Canada Business Association, Ako Amadi, said the effects of oil pollution would remain for as long as Shell delayed the cleaning. He said the issue of reclaiming or recovering an environment is in various stages, stressing that it takes a longer period to recover an area that is polluted by oil.

    Amadi said: “The environment can be cleaned, but not recovered. Shell may clean up the community, but may not recover it. The two are not the same. After cleaning an environment, there is the need to restore it. Restoration takes place when plants and animals are re-introduced in an area to encourage the growth of the ecosystem. That is why I said it would take sometime before the land and rivers in Bodo are recovered.’’

    Outgoing SPDC’s Managing Director, Mutiu Sunmonu said the company understands the plight of the people, noting that it will not spare efforts in the cleaning. He said the development would help in re-uniting the people with the natural habitat.

    He said Shell has pledged to be fair with the Bodo community, and would stick to its promise.

    He said: ‘’From the outset, we have accepted responsibility for the two deeply regrettable operational spills in Bodo. We have always wanted to compensate the community fairly and we are pleased to have reached an agreement. We are fully committed to the clean-up process being overseen by a former Netherlands’Ambassador to Nigeria. Despite the delays caused by division within the community, we are pleased that clean-up will soon begin now that a plan has been agreed with the community’’

    Sunmonu, who doubles as the Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN), said the company was working with the government, the civil soceity and international NGOs to create awareness on environmental pollution. He assured that Shell would continue to search for solutions to the problems, adding that the support of Bodo community leaders is needed to acheive the deired results.

    He, however, warned: “Unless real action is taken to end the scourge of oil theft and illegal refining, which remains the main cause of enironmental pollution and is the real tragedy of the Niger Delta, areas that are cleaned-up will simply become re-impacted through illegal activities.’’

    The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report had  directed Shell to address the problems in the oil polluted areas in Ogoniland.

    The Federal Government’s Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project(HYPREP) was set up in July 2012 to implement UNEP’s recommendation.

    This, Sunmonu said, had not come to reality because of challenges facing the HYPREP.

  • BPE: why 10,000Mw can’t be met

    Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Director-General Benjamen Dikki has blamed gas flaring for Nigeria’s inability to generate 10,000 megawatts (Mw) of electricity.

    He said the country has enough reseviour of gas to generate electricity.

    Dikki said: “Instead of wasting gas by flaring it, we can channel it to the power sector. Due to gas shortage, the power sector cannot generate enough electricity megawatts(Mw). We are producing less than 6,000Mw of electricity. We are hovering between 4,000 and 5,000Mw of electricity, when we are supposed to generate 10,000Mw. We have been targeting 10,000 Mw for sometime now. Have we achieved it?

    “The country is flaring millions of metric tonnes of gas daily, because there is no infrastructure in place to capture it for productive use. To take the gas to where it is needed, what has Nigeria done in this regard? Nothing.‘’

    He lamented that gas shortage continues to hinder the growth of the power sector.

    He said it was wrong to insinuate that political problems were responsible for the hitches in the generation, distribution and transmission of electricity in Nigeria, arguing that gas shortage is affecting the industry.

    He said the insinuations in some quarters that  politics was causing problems in the power sector was an attempt to distract the attention of the government from the real issues hindering the growth of the industry.

    Dikki explained that  infrastructural deficit in the gas industry was having a spillover effects on the sector.

  • Eland crude hits 31,500 barrels

    Eland Oil & Gas said it sold 31,500 barrels of Brent crude last year.

    The Aberdeen-based company said the oil was loaded and sold by its Nigerian joint venture company, Elcrest, at an average price of $94.93 a barrel.

    The oil was produced from Eland’s only commercially producing field, the oil mining lease (OML) 40 field in the Niger Delta, where it began production earlier last year.

    The sale of the 31,500 barrels brought its gross oil production from OML 40 in 2014 to 115,722 barrels and sold at an average price of $103.77.

    Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), George Maxwell, said: “Eland has had a successful end to 2014, culminating in our most recent operational updates.

    “The company is moving from strength to strength and is well- prepared and financed for our 2015 programme.”

    The sale by Eland comes shortly after the company secured a $22 million (£14 million) loan facility from Standard Chartered. The funding, according to the company, signalled a vote of confidence in its key OML 40 licence at a time when the price of oil is plummeting selling at below $60 a barrel. The facility will be used by the company to fund work on the Nigerian acreage, it added.

    The AIM-listed Eland has mandated Standard Chartered Bank to co-ordinate work on securing a $75 million lending facility it wants to have in place by the year end.

  • DPR, SON to sanction erring gas plants

    DPR, SON to sanction erring gas plants

    TIME is up for erring Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of Nigeria (LPGAN) have resolved to deal with plants not following gas rules.

    Also under scrutiny are cooking gas retailers, unauthorised importers and marketers of gas cylinders.

    DPR, SON and LPGAN officials  in separate interviews with The Nation, said they had started investigations into the activities of  operators nationwide to determine thier level of compliance with safety guidelines.

    Head, Gas Department, DPR, Antigha Ekaluo, said the department had made arrangements to get all the stakeholders in the LPG sub-sector involved.

    The agency, it said, is auditing all the licensed gas plants to know those that were complying with the rules. He said owners of plants who failed to operate in line with the statutory provisions provided for the sub-sector risked being sanctioned.

    Ekaluo, who spoke on the sideline of a stakeholders’ conference in Lagos, said part of the measures to rid the industry of quacks is the licensing of retail outlets.

    He said: “Our inspectors have been directed to ensure compliance. The DPR in the coming months shall commence facility audit of licensed plants nationwide to ensure compliance with statutory provisions on plant operations.”

    Many of the marketers, Ekaluo said, sell and store LPG without licences, and in the process, contravene the laws guiding the operators. He said DPR is putting a stop to the menace to promote safety and healthy environment.

    He directed all plants to ensure that resale outlets have valid licenses to be able to operate well, adding that the body has directed its officials to move against illegal operators.’’

    SON’s Head of Enforcement Bede Obayi said the agency had started what he described as ‘search and fit’ exercise to know people behind the operation of illegal LPG plants and check their excesses.

    He said the body has officials in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Authority (FCT), working to rid the country of sub-standard LPG cylinders, among other products.

    Obayi said the body relies on external sources of information to deal with illegal sellers and importers of gas cylinders.

    He said: “Apart from the fact that SON’s officials have been deployed to check the activities of illegal importers in the country, the agency relies on ‘informants’ to get information on the hideouts of perpetrators of such crimes. Informants have been of great help to us in this regard. We have informants in ports across the country, and they oblige us with information needed to tackle the issue.

    “When we get information that a container carrying gas cylinders is leaving the ports, we mobilise our men to intercept the container. Once we discover that the products lack neceesary details, we impound them immediately.”

    Obayi said SON has intercepted several containers carrying substandard gas cylinders, seized and taken them to designated warehouses from where they were taken to steel firms for grinding and conversion into other metal objects.

    “The importation of substandard gas cylinders is the handiwork of some operators. We have directed people to apply to the Director-General, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, for approval to import gas cylinders. There are procedures for bringing gas cylinders into the country. People that meet the guidelines have no problem. Once you are not complying with the guidelines, we stop you from importing the product. We are on top of the game,” he said.

    According to him, when arrests are made by SON, suspects and their goods are usually handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

    The President, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of Nigeria (LPGAN), Dapo Adesina, said the association has  directed his members to report anybody contravening procedures for engaging in the business to the nearest police station.

    Adesina said there are 200 gas filling plant owners and 4,000 retailers in the country, noting that they have been certified to do the business. He added that the group’s duty is to pass safety information and other relevant data for growth to the operators.

    He said illegal operators of gas filling plants are not members of the association, and are treated as such.

    According to him, the power to approve LPG operators lies with the DPR, noting that the body regulates the sub-sector.

    Adesina said his members were aware of the safety procedures, and ready to comply.

    ”One way of tackling the menace is to educate members on the dangers of operating gas plants or selling the product without approval.

    “Through training, we enable our members to know gas compositions, how volatile the product is, and how to prevent explosion. The training is ongoing because we want to get to a level that the activities of fake operators are curtailed,’’ he said.

    There had been cases of gas explosions in some parts of the country that had resulted to fatalities. There was a gas explosion in Akure, the Ondo State capital a few weeks ago. The incident, which occurred at a gas station, drew the ire of stakeholders, including the state government, owners of LPG plants, among others. The group called on the Federal Government to ban any operator that is disobeying the rules.

  • Shell blames vandals for oil spills

    Shell blames vandals for oil spills

    Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has linked crude oil theft to  the breaking of pipelines.

    In a paper titled: ”Shell in Nigeria: ‘Unlocking Nigeria Energy  Potential’, it said oil thieves broke pipelines to achieve their aim.

    The oil giant said its pipelines were destroyed by vandals.

    It said 92 per cent of oil spilled from its facilities between 2009 and 2013, was caused by pipeline vandals.

    It said about 208 kilometres of pipelines were vandalised in 2011; 312 in 2012; and 250 in 2013.

    The company said it would single-handedly  supply gas to the  225 megawatts (Mw) Gbairan power plant, one of the 10 National Independent Power Projects (NIPP) undertaken by the Federal Government, to generate 5,000Mw of electricity and further improve power supply in the country.

    The firm said: ” Shell will be the sole supplier of a new 225 megawatts power plant being built in Gbairan by the Federal Government under the Nigerian Independent Power Project. In 2010, SPDC began producing from the Gbairan-Ubie integrated oil and gas plant in Bayelsa State. Gbairan is designed to process one billion standard cubit feet of gas per day. In addition to supplying gas to the Nigerian Liquefied Gas (NLNG), Shell also supplies gas to the Bayelsa State power plant at Imiring.”

    It said the Gbairan Ubie plant is helping to reduce flaring of associated gas from nearby fields, thereby contributing to the SPDC  flares reduction programme.

    ”The Gbairan Ubie project has created a legacy of skills and capacity in complex gas projects, which will be vital in meeting Nigeria’s electricity supply challenges in the years ahead,” the firm added.

    Shell said its Okoloma gas plant supplies gas to the Afam power plant, adding that the plant also supplies gas to the domestic market in the east.

    ”Shell Companies in Nigeria remain a crucial part of the overall gas energy mix, with SPDC’s Afam VI power plant alone contributing 14-20 per cent of Nigeria’s grid connected electricity generation. Afam is an example of the integration of new technology in domestic power generation. It used 40 per cent less gas than plants using older technology and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions substantially,” it said.

    Gas is a major problem, hindering the power plants from performing at optimum capacity.

     

  • Angry youths attack electricity firms officials, others

    Angry youths attack electricity firms officials, others

    Electricity consumers in Etsako West Local Government Area of  Edo State have allegedly attacked the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence  Corps (NSCDC) officials, and the Police.

    It was gathered that some youths from the community, which was disconnected for owing BEDC Auchi Businesss District   N3,361,717,95, stormed the Business District and Urban Service Unit, demanding immediate restoration of supply.

    This resulted in an attack on the workers and security personnel drafted to restore peace in the area. A police officer and NSDC were said to have been  hospitalised with a broken ankle and a broken arm.

    The development prompted the state Commissioner of Police and Director of the Department of Security Service(DSS) to broker peace between the community and  BEDC.

    It was gathered that the row over unpaid bills was one of the challenges facing the firm.

    Meanwhile, BEDC has petitioned the Nigerian Electricity Distribition Company (NERC) over the alleged tripping of the 33Kva line that passes through Iyahmo community each time supply was restored.

  • Power: Govt long on promises, short on delivery

    Power: Govt long on promises, short on delivery

    With the curtain falling on 2014 tomorrow, it is certain that the government will not meet its target of 5,000 megawatts of electricity by the end of the year. What does this portend for the economy in the coming year? AKINOLA AJIBADE reports.

    The year 2014 ends tomorrow. It is  obvious that the Federal Government will not meet its target of 5,000 megawatts (Mw) of electricity.

    On August 2, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Deazani Alison-Madueke, set the  5,000Mw target following a reduction in the initial 6,000mw output. To meet the next target, the government reviewed the price of gas upwards. Despite the hike, power generation is still on the decline because of inadequate gas supply, and weak distribution networks, among others.

    Peak power generation, according to statistics from the Ministry of Power, as at last month, was 3,958.1Mw; peak demand forecast was 12, 800Mw. By December 11, power generation fell to 3,018.52Mw from 3,271.21Mw in November 30.

    As at  December 2, power supply fell to 3,206.09 megawatts but it   dropped again to 2, 954 megawatts on December 15. The development has fuelled suspicions that power may not improve as the year winds up.

    Notably, activities during the yuletide were marred by irregular power supply.The Nation investigation revealed that power supply has dropped to its lowest level in Lagos, Abuja, Ondo, and other cities across the country.

    In Lagos, consumers in some areas under the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (iKeDc) and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) said the situation has gone from bad to worse. Also, some residents of Egbeda, Idimu, Ejigbo, Ikotun, Oshodi and other areas, said it was not likely that the power would improve before the New Year, citing gas shortage as one of the problems facing the sector.

    However, communities, such as Ewu-Elepe, Ijede and others around Egbin Power Plant, Ikorodu are enjoying uninterrupted power supply.

    In Akure, areas, such as Oba Adesida, Ilekun, Sijuade, General Hospital and others, are contending with regular power outage, while in Abuja, areas such as Jabi, Wuse 2, Nyanyan and the Central Business Districts (CBD) have not got light.

    Other areas experiencing poor power supply include Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kubwa, Karshi, Kuje, Dobi Angada and adjoining satellite towns.

    Only last week, the Assistant General Manager, (Public Affairs) Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Godwin Ibemuda, announced that there would be power outage in the zone. Ibemudia said areas, such as Obalende, Lekki Pennisula and areas within Lagos Mainland, would not have light due to routine maintenance by the company.

    He said: “There would be interruption between the hours of 10am and 4pm due to routine maintenance work that would be carried out on line 2, Ajah-Alagbon 132 kv line for seven hours.”

    He listed areas to be affected as Obalande and others on the Lagos Mainland. The routine maintenance was meant to put the facilities in good condition.

    A Partner at Usoro & Co, Laidi Munirideen, said there has not been any improvement in power supply since November, last year when the new investors took over the assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    He said those expecting improvement in power supply before and after the festive period are going to be disappointed, adding that irregular power is affecting the country’s socio-economic activities.

    “It is evident that power is not yet stable. Many people rely on generators to provide alternative energy. This is because the supply from the national grid was too insignificant to meet their needs. They need power for social and other economic activities during the yuletide,‘’ he said.

    The Executive Director, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (ACMIL),Oluwole Asubiojo, said power had not improved in Abuja where he resides, adding that businesses have suffered as a result of poor electricity.

    “Stable power supply is still a far-fetched issue in Nigeria in spite of privatisation of the sector. It is obvious that power has not improved. A lot needs to be done to meet consumers’ expectation. The generation, distribution and transmission arms of the sector need to be improved,‘’ he said.

    A computer engineer, Moses Adejube, said power problem was taking its toll on all activities during festive period.  Social and economic activities, Adejube said, were dull in Akure, as a result of poor power supply, stressing that the issue has left many people dejected.

    ‘’The festive period used to be a booming one for the informal sector operators. But that has not been the case as power supply has dipped. For instance, operators of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) are complaining that they do not have light to work with,’’ he said.

    Power Minister, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said the government was making frantic efforts to address the problem. During a stakeholders’ conference in Lagos, he said the government had a set goal for itself to correct the anomalies in the sector and move the economy forward. He said the sector had been neglected by successive administrations, which has resulted in the decay in power infrastructure and stunted economic growth.

  • Why govt is paying N36.9b ‘legacy debts’

    The Federal Government’s decision to pay the N36.9 billion owed gas suppliers will have multiplier effect on the power sector, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Investments, Finance and Donor Relations, Olajuwon Olaleye, has said.

    He told The Nation that the legacy debt was being addressed  to improve electricity generation, ensure seamless supply of gas to the power firms, restore confidence and grow the sector.

    He said: “A company that owed billions of naira would not be happy to supply gas to the power generation companies (GENCOs). With the payment of the debts the gas suppliers would be more committed to transact buisness with the power firms. The gas firms are enthususiatic, knowing that they can continue to do business. What the government has done was to provide an enabling environment for operators. When the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, assumed office this year, one of the mandates which President Goodluck Jonathan gave him was to help support the power sector since the major problem was how to improve electricity infrastructure and supply.”

    Gas suppliers, according to Olajuwon, have committed themselves to a supply agreement, as a result of the payment of the debt.

    He said the government is working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ease the financial burden on the power firms and help restorE some level of confidence in the sector.

    “There are prudential guidelines binding burrowing of funds. The guidelines stipulate that when you borrow money for, let’s say 30 days, 50 days, or 150 days, depending on the agreement reached with the banks, you must pay within those periods or pay a higher interest. The government has gone ahead to work with the CBN to ease the financial burden on the energy companies by re-adjusting the prudential guidelines.

    “This would give the companies time to re-adjust their balance sheets, and get clean records. Based on this, the companies can approach the international community and burrow money. Also, the banks are going to evolve a new era of reducing waste, as a result of the initiative,” he said.

    The government, in conjunction with the CBN, he noted, had agreed to provide N231 billion intervention fund for the power sector.

    Out of this, N36.7 billion was the legacy debt, which the government promised to pay gas suppliers to enable them continue to provide the sector with domestic gas for operation.

  • Board promises conducive environment for manufacturers

    The Federal Government  will  provide a conducive environment for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to facilitate their jobs, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Ernest Nwapa has said.

    The OEMs are to provide technologies for the refineries, and other vital areas in the oil and gas sector.

    In an interview with reporters, he said the provision of the infrastructure would enable the manufacturers perform well by providing the industry with the required equipment.

    “So, rather than bringing these OMEs to come here and ask them to  start sourcing for land and developing them, we have taken the responsibility to stimulate that by doing some of the basic things.’’ he said.

    He added: “We believe that when we do the infrastructure, when we keep them in a cluster; when we invite them in and use the leverage that we have as a statutory agency of the government to push the operators into the oil and gas parks, the OEMs will then come along with their support system  into this place. We will also inject some Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).’’

    Nwapa said the government would provide basic infrastructure, such as roads and power to make the environment conducive for the OEMs.

    “We will develop the land in phases. We will create basic infrastructure, such as roads, power, water,  telecoms and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities,” he said.