FG distributes CNG buses in Lagos

Chief Executive Officer and Programme Director of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi

The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative on Tuesday distributed 20 CNG buses in Lagos.

The buses were received by the Oniru of Iru, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbbolahan, on behalf of Iru Land Transport Company Limited.

Speaking, the Director of PCNGi, Oluwagbemi Michael, emphasised that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is ready to ensure there are enough CNG buses in the country to reduce the reliance on petrol and diesel.

Oluwagbemi disclosed that the Federal Government is putting efforts in top gear to ensure the availability of enough CNG filling stations across the country.

He revealed that the buses being handed over were produced locally, saying more would be procured for the use of the people.

However, he emphasised that beneficiaries of the buses would pay the cost over time and the money would be used to get more buses for others.

“Yes, we are providing these buses, they were purchased by the Federal Ministry of Finance under the palliative programme. They are becoming available because they are being assembled and manufactured here in Nigeria. As everybody has been asking, where are the buses? Those buses were under manufacturing. And so, immediately some became available as a result of testing. If you go to those buses, you will see the testing logo. Once the testing is done, we start rolling out, as we promised.

“So, yesterday we did the first one in Ibadan. Today, we are in Lagos. Very soon, we are going to the Federal Capital Territory as well as Ilorin. These will be the first four cities,” he stated.

Oluagbemi stressed that more cities will benefit from the CNG bus programme, stating that 531 buses will be made available to commercial drivers in the first phase.

“We are expecting, under the first phase of the procurement by the Federal Minister of Finance, 531 buses.

“They are available on a partnership basis with these transport operators, as promised by Mr President. The money that is used to purchase them will be recovered over some time steadily, from the fares that the passengers will be paying to ensure that we can acquire more, and more will be available to Nigerian people,” he stated.

The Oniru appreciated Tinubu and the Federal for considering his kingdom in the initiative.

He assured the government of the people’s support saying that the initiative would boost the economy of Ireland, especially in job creation.