Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (P-CNG), on Saturday, commenced the distribution and installation of conversion kits for commercial vehicle owners in Ogun State.
The exercise which was carried in two locations in Abeokuta, the state capital, started with inspection of vehicles brought in by members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
The two centres in Abeokuta, were located within the premises of the Ogun State Public Works Agency, Quarry Road and at NEXGEN Automobile, Olorunsogo in the Abeokuta metropolis.
For this stage of the conversion of petrol engine to the CNG enabled, the exercise, according to P-CNGI, will be done free of charge for commercial vehicle operators, a total of 110 cylinders of different capacities and conversion kits, were received at the two centres in Abeokuta.
The installation of the free CNG conversion kits, was in continuation of the Federal Government’s commitment towards achieving the conversion of one million petroleum vehicles to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by year 2027 under the Conversion Incentive Programme (CIP) initiative.
Speaking with journalists at one of the conversion centres in Abeokuta, the Director of Vehicle Inspection Services in the State Ministry of Transportation, Olugboyega Adetimehin, said benefitting vehicles have to undersgo inspection, to determine whether they are convertible.
Adetimehin explained that a 75 -liter CNG cylinder will cover a range of 150 kilometres journey, thereby contributing to the reduction of transportation fare as envisaged by the Federal Government following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
“The cylinder is molded not welded and is as thick as 60 mm, bulletproof, accident proof and cannot cause any explosion. In Abeokuta here we have two refilling stations presently and one at Ibafo. To install a kit for petrol engine it takes 4-5 hours but for diesel engine it would take 3-days”, he stated.
Commenting on the viability and economic advantages of the CNG transportation system, Operations Manager of Nigerian Gas and Transport Solution Limited (NGTSL), the P-CNGI’s technical partner, Ali Manager, emphasised that CNG transportation system, remains the best thing that should happen to the Nigerian economy as at present.
“Out of my 17 years experience in the gas industry I can tell you that if a taxi driver runs on gas in approximately two years, the owner can buy a new car for himself.
“The first thing is that Nigeria has its gas company, you will be an independent company in terms of energy unlike other countries that import and rely on others and this will bring a bigger change to this country”, Manager said.
The spokesperson of one of the conversion partners; Nexgen Automobile, Toyosi Oluwasesan, confirmed receipt of 50 CNG conversion kits, stressing that three automobile technicians have also been trained from his workshop.
Commenting on the project, the state chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW), Adewale Yaro, represented by Ahmed Bankole, commended the Federal Government on the P-CNG initiative.
Adewale emphasized that the use of the CNG-complied vehicles would make them reduce the transport fare.
He said the initiative, would also lead to increased profit for them because it would lead to low operation costs in terms of fueling and amount they spend on maintenance of their vehicles.
