FG Hands over 64 CNG Buses to Labour, Students

·    Vows to sustain downward trend of inflation

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The federal government, yesterday, handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to representatives of organised labour, comprising Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The gesture was in commemoration of the country’s 64th independence anniversary.

The government also vowed to ensure that the downward trend of inflation in the country was aggressively sustained.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, made the pledge at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja during the handover of the buses to representatives of the organisations.

Edun highlighted the CNG initiative’s impact on inflation, saying, “We’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down.

“Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.”

When deployed for commuter service, the buses will significantly reduce transportation costs in the country, bringing hope for a more affordable and efficient public transport system, he said.

Edun led the government delegation at the ceremony to mark the handover of the vehicles. Others in the delegation were Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; and Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande.

Edun described the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation to support Nigerians after the removal of fuel subsidies under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi). 

He emphasised that the initiative aimed to alleviate the burden on the poor and vulnerable and support macroeconomic reforms that would position the country on the path to economic stability.

The minister explained that the symbolic handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marked the beginning of a broader national rollout, with a plan to distribute over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the first phase. 

He added that the CNG initiative aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation.

Edun stated, ‘Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. It is for Nigerians. The emphasis is on mass transit.

“There is an emphasis on intervening on the side of workers so that they have cheaper transport to cope with rising prices.”

The minister stated that the fuel cost for CNG-powered vehicles was about one-third of the fuel for petrol-powered vehicles. 

He said motorists could now pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more. 

According to him, ”Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides. This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again.”

Earlier, the information and national orientation minister said 40 buses would go to the labour unions, 20 to the student unions, and four will transport passengers within Abuja.

He said, “This is a necessary first step that the government has taken, and we are giving out 64 buses to commemorate the 64th independence anniversary of our great country.

“Forty of these buses are going to the labour unions. You heard the representatives of labour here accepting them. 20 of the buses are going to the students’ union, and about four will now be here in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Now let me emphasise that this is not all. Over 700 of these buses have already been ordered. These are the first sets we are giving out to symbolise the official commencement of this initiative of Mr. President.

“So don’t say that you only have 64 buses to cater to the whole of this country. It’s a necessary first step by government.”

Idris stated that since CNG cost less than Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Nigerians should expect to save 60 per cent on transportation costs when the initiative becomes fully operational.

He explained, “You will spend far less to fuel it. Filling the two tanks you have seen here will cost you about N15,000, as against N72,000 for petrol. It’s a drastic reduction. The private sector is already contributing.

“This is beginning from those who need it the most; the working class will get this. But beyond that, everybody will feel the impact.

“It’s a promise that Mr president has kept to Nigerians, and we know that very soon, more of these buses will ply all the roads of this country.”

Allaying people’s fears about possible hazard of having the gas cylinders positioned in the vehicle, Idris said, “Yes, we considered this. There is no risk of explosion. The cylinders themselves, as you have heard, are bulletproof. There are no joints, meaning they are not welded at any joint or parts.

“So, they are intact. They are safe, and you would not expect to see any explosion happening. The safety of Nigerians and the buses were considered in the design and supply of these cylinders.”

Project Director of the Presidential Initiative on CNG, Mr. Michael Oluwagbemi, provided updates on the initiative’s progress, including the establishment of over 125 CNG centres, $175 million investment in the past year, 37 conversion centres expected before the end of 2024, and supply of over 17,000 conversion kits.

Oluwagbemi said, “Since our founding exactly one year ago, when Mr. President announced the presidential CNG initiative, we’ve been able to move the nation forward. For one, Nigeria had seven conversion centres this time last year. Today, we can boast of over 125.

“We’ve tracked over $175 million investment in the sector coming into mother stations. An additional 12 mother stations have been commissioned between last year and today.

“We’ve seen additional refuelling stations being invested in; about 75 of them are currently under construction, and the commissioning of about 12 already this year. We expect another 25 before the end of the year.”

Oluwagbemi said the PCNGi was creating jobs, as more technicians were being trained in vehicle conversion and maintenance.

He stated, “Jobs are being created. Just last year, we could boast of just less than 100 conversion technicians in Nigeria. Yesterday, I visited a workshop in Lokogoma, where the gentleman spoke about training about 40 new technicians every week.

“NITT, NADDC, and all of these institutions are training every day.

“Beyond this, over 34,000 conversion kits have already been ordered, and we have more than half of that in our hands and are already being distributed. Conversion is taking place across Nigeria.

“Yesterday, 53 conversion centres in eight states were launched; we hope by next week, an additional two states will join the train, and slowly but surely, all 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT will have convention centres.”

In their various speeches, Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC, Comrade Nuhu Toro; NANS president, Comrade Lucky Emonefe; and Head of International Desk, NLC, Comrade Uche Ekwe, commended Tinubu for the gesture. They called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.

Toro thanked the president for implementing the N70,000 new national minimum wage. 

”This move is a significant step in alleviating the economic burden of Nigerian workers,” he said. 

Emonefe praised the government for its commitment to education and student welfare, citing the provision of a student loan scheme for higher education. 

Ekwe stated that the benefits of the CNG buses would become more apparent once more buses were deployed across the country. 

”If we get more buses, the effect will translate immediately to Nigerians. If people start entering these buses, they will publicise it in the public and their neighbourhood,” he said.