Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), has pleaded to  Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Tinubu and give him more time to interpret his vision for the country.

Ekpo, in a statement by his spokesperson, Louis Ibah, made available to our correspondent in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Tuesday, said Tinubu had taken bold steps aimed at addressing the economic crisis occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.

He pointed out that some business people took advantage of the low cost of subsidized fuel in Nigeria by diverting large quantities to neighbouring countries, where they made significant profits, while Nigerians faced acute fuel scarcity.

The minister highlighted Nigeria’s abundant gas reserves, which currently stand at about 209 trillion cubic feet of proven reserves, with the potential for reserves to increase to 600 trillion cubic feet.

He stated that President Tinubu’s decision to end fuel subsidy was well-intentioned, as it has allowed for increased focus and investments in the gas sector, as well as the use of gas as a more cost-effective and cleaner alternative to petrol and diesel for vehicles.

He said, “Mr. President has a good vision for the country. He has been a player in the industry, and he has seen that gas is cheaper, cleaner, and safer.

“Gas has been abandoned for years, but with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and other executive orders, we are now focusing on utilizing our natural gas resources.

“The President is working assiduously to fix things, I urge us all to be patient with him and give him more time to interpret his vision.”

He disclosed that licences have been granted to some companies to take out the gas flared in the country for commercial purposes, while efforts are ongoing through various government programmes and initiatives to ensure more Nigerians use LPG and CNG for cooking and transportation.