Editor
The Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, commended the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, as the Presidential CNG Initiative (P-CNGI) initiated its pilot Conversion Incentive Program and the delivery of CNG buses to transporters in Kogi State.
In his address at the inaugural launch of the CNG initiative program on Wednesday, 02 October 2024 in Lokoja, Kogi State, Prince Audu conveyed to Kogites that the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Tinubu has reached their vicinity, highlighting that the CNG initiative aims to reduce transportation costs by more than 40 percent to offset the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
The Honourable Minister also announced plans to transform Ajaokuta into one of Nigeria’s CNG hubs, as the Ministry prepares to submit a proposal to Mr. President for the establishment of an Industrial Park within the Ajaokuta vicinity, which will include a CNG park and a Free Trade Zone.
“During his Independence Day address, Mr. President emphasized that Nigeria’s expenditure of over $10 billion annually on fuel subsidy was pushing the country towards an economic crisis, prompting the swift removal of petroleum subsidy.
This action has brought about certain challenges such as the surge in food prices, and Mr. President has assured us that measures are being taken to reverse this trend swiftly, one of which involves providing CNG vehicles to Nigerians.
“Mr. President has issued a directive for the conversion of one million vehicles from petrol to gas by the end of 2025. This is a significant initiative. As the Minister of Steel Development, I would like to highlight some of the advantages of this CNG conversion endeavor and the vital role Ajaokuta plays in this context. Ajaokuta serves as a gas hub for Nigeria, with gas pipelines stretching from Warri to Ajaokuta, and from Ajaokuta to Kaduna and Kano (AKK Pipeline), facilitating the annual transportation of billions of cubic feet of gas to other parts of Nigeria.
“We are presenting a proposal to Mr. President to designate Ajaokuta as an Industrial park that will house a CNG park, making it one of the key CNG hubs in Nigeria. Instead of having most CNG conversion centers and parks located outside Kogi State, Ajaokuta possesses the land, gas reserves, and infrastructure for the production of conversion kits. The Industrial park will attract steel companies to Ajaokuta, creating numerous employment opportunities for Kogites and Nigerians at large.
“Therefore, the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now in motion and is poised to revitalize the economy, aligning with Mr. President’s ambition to grow the economy by $1 trillion by 2030, a goal that we are determined to achieve by the special grace of God,” Prince Audu affirmed.
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, acknowledged that the CNG initiative marks a significant milestone in the “Renewed Hope” Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing gratitude to the President for the initiative aimed at reducing dependence on petrol, consequently alleviating the hardships faced by the populace.
Governor Ododo, represented by Deputy Governor, Elder Joel Salifu Ododo, pledged the state’s unwavering support for the project, committing to training 250 youths in CNG conversion and empowering them to engage with cutting-edge technologies.
The Program Director/Chief Executive of the P-CNGI, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, explained that Kogi was chosen for the inaugural launch of the P-CNGI due to the state’s geographical significance as a confluence of water bodies and its crucial role in the transportation network as a linkage between the north and other regions of the country, in addition to hosting a key gas hub.
He emphasized that the event was not solely intended to lower transportation costs for commercial drivers or fulfill Mr. President’s promise of free vehicle and tricycle conversions for transporters, but also presented an opportunity for Nigerians to benefit from the nation’s abundant resources, urging everyone to embrace Mr. President’s transformative initiative.
