The Federal Government, on Monday, handed over 20 Compressed Natural Gas buses to the Oyo State Government.
The Chief Executive Officer and Programme Director of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Micheal Oluwagbemi, conducted the handover on behalf of the Federal Government at the Pacesetter Transport Service, Eleyele, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Oluwagbemi stated that the deployment of CNG buses in Nigeria aims to address issues related to petrol importation and other challenges affecting Nigerians.
He said, “Ibadan, for generations, has always been attractive since its founding; it’s a place where commerce thrives and a state of secret billionaires. This initiative demonstrates that the state is indeed a pioneer and a fitting place to launch the CNG programme.
“President Bola Tinubu has urged us to use our gas resources to advance the transportation industry, produce more food and fertilisers, and undertake other projects that will ease life for the people.
“We are starting to take the right steps, though it requires us to endure some challenges. We cannot return to subsidising our own impoverishment. As a team, we are committed to this effort.
“We present these 20 buses as part of a sustainable partnership with Pacesetter Transport Service to generate income, as they are valuable assets. We need more such investments to ensure a more sustainable mass transit system, contributing to a brighter future for the state and Nigeria.”
Receiving the CNG buses on behalf of the state government, the Chairman and Sole Administrator of PTS, Salami Dikko, thanked the Federal Government and President Tinubu for the initiative.
He noted that when he assumed office, he encountered only five operational buses, a number that has now increased to 81.
Dikko stressed that CNG is the best solution to the state’s transportation issues, as Governor Seyi Makinde supports the project to mitigate the effects of subsidy removal.
He called on the PI-CNG to provide an additional 100 CNG buses to cover more routes within the state.
In his goodwill message, the Special Assistant to Governor Makinde on Environment, Ademola Aderinto, highlighted that CNG is a more economical energy source.
“The future for Nigeria is CNG, which is natural gas. It is exciting that the state is leading this initiative. We extend our thanks to President Tinubu and Governor Makinde for embracing this change.”
