The Lagos state government is promoting the adoption of gas-powered vehicles in line with the Federal Government’s policy on the Compressed Natural Gas Initiative.
Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the Commissioner for Transportation, expressed this on Wednesday in Ikeja during the South-West Stakeholders Engagement meeting organised by the Presidential Initiative on CNG. He said that the state is encouraging investment in gas-powered vehicles.
News Central reports that President Bola Tinubu issued a directive on Monday mandating all government ministries, departments, and agencies to procure compressed natural gas-powered cars.
Osiyemi affirmed that Lagos State is prepared to implement transportation policies aligned with the presidential directives and beyond.
He said, “Our transport policy would not only guide but would also encourage investment in the space of the CNG. We are also very much aware that to make this grow as rapidly as we want, we must encourage the private sector. We will bring comfort to investors.
“In Lagos, what have we done concerning the CNG? As our President said on Monday that every ministry should buy CNG vehicles, we have also started doing this. We already have electric vehicles. We also have about 10 CNG buses that we are going to put on the road. We have some that have been tested on our roads.
“I must also use this opportunity to say that we also encourage CNG vessels on our waterways. Our boats that are coming – our investors are looking towards having CNG boats that will be deployed (on the waterways). So as a state, we have taken this seriously because it’s the way to go to ensure carbon emission reduction.”
Meanwhile, in Ogun State, the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles has already commenced, as communicated by Gbenga Dairo, his counterpart in Ogun State.
“Clearly, it’s been a well-thought-out policy by the Federal Government and it speaks to the climate change opportunities that the CNG gas brings,” he said.
He stated that the CNG initiative has helped residents cope with the harsh effects of subsidy removal.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha also said the initiative
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said the initiative represented a glimmer of hope for many Nigerians in the transport sector.