FG Hands Over 10 CNG Buses for Commercial Use in Kogi

The Federal Government of Nigeria has handed over 10 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses for commercial use in Kogi State. This initiative, launched on October 2, under the Tinubu administration, aims to reduce transportation costs by 40% and leverage Nigeria's abundant natural resources to boost economic growth.

Michael Oluwagbemi, the Program Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas initiative, emphasized the economic benefits of this project. "The launch of the compressed natural gas initiative is an opportunity for Nigerians to benefit from the resources they have abundantly, which over the years they have continued to waste. The CNG initiative is the best way to boost our economy," he stated.

The event also marked the beginning of a free Compressed Natural Gas conversion program in Kogi State. Minister of Steel Development, Shaibu Abubakar Audu, appealed for patience from Nigerians, assuring them that the government is working to address current economic challenges. "We should not end up like Venezuela that cannot pay salaries or feed their people. There are some challenges that have come up, such as the high cost of food prices. Mr President has told all of us as Nigerians that he feels our pains and he is doing something to reverse that trend to ensure that the prices of food stuff comes down," Audu said.

He further revealed ambitious plans to convert up to one million vehicles from Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to CNG within the next year. "Mr President has mandated that we should have one of the world’s major CNG conversions in Nigeria," he added.

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by his deputy Elder Joel Salifu, expressed strong support for the initiative. He highlighted the state's commitment to promoting environmentally friendly transportation. "Our administration has keyed into the Federal Government initiative for an environmental friendly transportation in Kogi State," he disclosed..