Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has unveiled the first set of Compressed Natural Gas Mass Transit Buses.
Abiodun, at the launching of the buses on Monday, said the state government would expand the scope of the scheme’s operation throughout the state.
He stated that the introduction of the buses would revolutionise the transport sector and reduce the hardship being experienced by Nigerians as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
The 17 converted vehicles in the maiden scheme became the first in the country in response to the recent removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, with the deployment of CNG Technology and E- Mobility as a better alternative and viable means of transportation in the state.
The governor explained that the initiative was conceived even before the fuel subsidy removal, as his administration was desirous of a cost-effective transportation system with little impact on the environment.
“The initiative was anticipated because we knew that the regulation of the downstream sector was eminent and unavoidable.
“This has become very imperative considering the urgent need to provide a cleaner environment and to mitigate the effects of climate change, which we are all seeing to be real and which principally is caused by the use of fossil fuel, predominantly diesel and petrol.”
“As your governor, I am delighted that we are able to commence the implementation of this laudable initiative and I am bold to say that we come tops yet again as the first state in the country to record this feat which is another successful public private sector partnership with our partner called Spiro, a company that has successfully deployed this in other parts of the West Africa sub-region,” he said.
Abiodun stressed that local mechanics, who were part of the conversion engineering, had been trained, while conversion stations had been set up in the three senatorial districts, adding that this would allow for the rapid conversion of commercial and public mass transit buses and vehicles across the state.
The Governor disclosed that some of the buses would be given to workers and students, while some would ply the Mowe-Ibafo to Berger in Lagos and Redeemed axis to Lagos Island, as the corridor was heavily congested with large cross border migration.
He said, “Some of these buses ply Kuto to Wole Soyinka train station in Laderin, some from Onikolobo to Idi-Aba corridor, while others will serve Ita-Oshin-Adatan route. As we expand our fleet, we will also deploy the buses in major towns and cities starting with Sango- Ota, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode. This will provide mass transportation for our citizens, particularly our young students in the towns and cities.”
Abiodun revealed that the state government had set up a gas filling station at Obada-Oko.
