CNG: FG moves to reduce fare from Abuja to train stations in Kogi by 40%
By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja
The Federal Government has signed agreements with commercial transporters in Kogi State for the installation of 300 Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, kits that would reduce fare from Abuja to train stations in the state by about 40 percent.
The agreement with Ajaokuta, Itakpe and Adavi branches of the National Union of Road Transport Worker, NURTW, includes the free provision and installation of the CNG kits on commercial vehicles plying these routes.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja, the Director/CEO, Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, PCNGI, Engr Michael Oluwagbemi said the government was ready to convert as many as a thousand vehicles serving these routes.
Oluwagbemi explained that the deal would lower transportation fare from about N13,000 to N7,000 per passenger to the train stations.
He noted that with about 10 CNG filling stations already on the route between Abuja and Kogi, the drivers would have no challenge refuelling their CNG.
He said: “This is the first time that we are actually linking our conversion programme to the direct impact of reducing transportation fare. And even though it’s the first, it’s not going to be the last. We’re going to be doing a number of these going forward because we want to make sure that Mr. President’s vision for lower transportation fares for all Nigerians is immediately felt at the bottom of the pyramid by our people.
“The conversion incentive programme provides for up to a million kits that Mr. President has made available to convert commercial vehicles. What we are now doing is working with those commercial vehicle associations, especially in these three stations.
“We are now linking it to not just converting the vehicle but also reducing the transportation fear. This agreement we are signing today provides for us to completely change their vehicle to CNG bi-fuel. And the good thing is that between Abuja and Itakpe and Kogi states today, there are at least 10 CNG refueling stations”.
He disclosed that between Kogi and Abuja, the PCNGI has also signed up 15 CNG conversion centres, scaling up the capacity to have more vehicles converted daily.
He added more CNG conversion centres would be opened in Kogi and Ekiti states next week to bring the number of states with conversion centres to 10.
He stressed that by the end of October when at least 100 vehicles would have been converted, the transport fare would be expected to “come down to N7,000 for both six to eight passenger vehicles and N8,000 for four passenger vehicles. And this is a savings of more than 40 percent”.
Oluwagbemi pointed out that the intervention means passengers from Abuja using the train from Itakpe to Warri would spend about N10,000 instead of the present combined fare of about N18,000.
He said efforts are ongoing to convert the trains also to CNG that would reduce the fare between Itakpe and Warri from the present N5,000 per passenger.
Speaking on behalf of the transporters, the Secretary, Adavi Branch, NURTW, Mr. Adeyemo Teslim assured the government of the union’s cooperation to make the programme a success.
He also assured the government that the agreement on fare reduction would be strictly implemented.
Currently, bus fare from Abuja to Warri costs N32,000 per passenger.
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