FG charges engineers to enlighten public on benefits of CNG

• Says Ajaokuta will become one of Nigeria’s CNG hubs
• Distributes 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles to youths

The Federal Government has charged the Nigerian engineering community to play a leading role in educating the people on the benefits of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and domestic gas usage, highlighting the need to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.

Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Epkerikpe Ekpo, gave the charge when national executives of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), led by its President, Margaret Oguntala, visited him in Abuja.

Ekpo expressed readiness of the government to partner the NSE on capacity-building initiatives, especially in training professionals for CNG infrastructure installation, and reinforced the shared vision for a sustainable future.

Oguntala said the visit was part of the ongoing efforts to position Nigerian engineers at the forefront of national development.

She said that by leveraging the local engineering expertise, the nation can ensure the successful implementation and expansion of programmes, such as the Nigerian Gas Expansion Project.

This, according to her, will not only enhance the adoption of CNG, but also contribute to Nigeria’s long-term sustainability goals, particularly in the energy sector.

ALSO, the Federal Government, yesterday, launched its pilot conversion incentive programme and handover of CNG-powered buses to transporters in Kogi State.

Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, in his address at the inaugural launch of the CNG initiative programme in Lokoja, said that the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Tinubu had been brought to their doorsteps, noting that the CNG initiative seeks to reduce the cost of transportation by over 40 per cent to cushion the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy.

In his remarks, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, who was represented by his deputy, Joel Salifu, pledged the commitment of the state to the project, with a promise to train 250 youths in CNG conversion and empower them to enable them to key into global technologies.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has given 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles to youths as part of its commitment to alleviating economic hardship.

Minister of Youth Development, Dr Jamila Ibrahim, who disclosed this in Abuja during the first phase distribution of the tricycles, said that the empowerment would go a long way in easing transportation challenges faced by citizens across the country.