Ogun State government has asserted that its policy of promoting the use of alternative clean sources of energy, inclusive Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, and electricity, for fueling vehicles across the state supports the global objective to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the environmental impact of transportation.
The government said it recognised that compared with diesel fuel, the use of CNG fuel in vehicles also had the added advantage of reductions in vehicle operating and maintenance costs.
The state’s Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo, made the assertion on Wednesday when taking delivery of vehicle CNG conversion kits.
He emphasised that the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s initiative to adopt CNG fuel for state owned rolling stock assets aligned with the state transport policy objectives co-developed with the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, UKFCDO.
Dairo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Sola Osasona, stated that the project, in partnership with MAUTO HOLDO DMCC, would have a first phase consisting of installing CNG conversion kits on 15 Ashok Leyland mass transit buses and two Hyundai buses in use by Ogun MDAs.
He added that the soon to commence conversion process for the pilot phase would serve as a test run and was expected to take between four to six week.
He said it would involve the Bus Mass Transit buses currently in operation in the state capital, Abeokuta, as well as others to be deployed in the fleet to serve the planned Mowe-Berger Axis BMT scheme (also co-developed with UKFCDO) ahead of its full rollout across the state once the expected operational and environmental performance advantages had been verified and confirmed.
He noted that MAUTO had deployed specialist engineers and technicians to the state to provide ‘hands-on’ training to locally based auto mechanics and technicians on CNG conversion and that MAUTO was also working with the state government towards entering into a joint venture to plan, design and establish a modern workshop facility with adequate capacity to undertake industrial scale conversion of vehicles to CNG use.
According to the commissioner, the initiative would lead to a cleaner economy, provide job opportunities during the conversion process, and reduce the cost of fuel.
He said that with diesel prices being deregulated and petrol prices increasing, natural gas was the cheapest form of fuel.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Political Affairs and Administration, Office of the Governor, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, described Governor Dapo Abiodun as a man who keeps his promises.
He stated that the delivery of the kits was a testimony to the governor’s commitment to achieving an eco-friendly means of transportation.
