The Federal Government has handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to the representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The CNG buses were handed over to the unions at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, led the government delegation that included the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, and the Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande.

Edun described the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation to support Nigerians after the removal of fuel subsidies under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi).

He emphasised that this initiative aims to alleviate the burden on the poor and vulnerable and support macroeconomic reforms that would position the country on the path to economic stability.

The minister further explained that the handover of the buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marks the beginning of a broader national rollout, with the plan to distribute over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the first instance.

He added that the CNG initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation.

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“Today (Sunday) marks another critical milestone in President Tinubu’s policies. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. It is for Nigerians. The emphasis is on mass transit,” Edun said.

The minister said there is an emphasis on intervening on the side of workers so that they have cheaper transport to cope with rising prices.

He also highlighted the CNG initiative’s impact on inflation, saying:  “We’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down. Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.”

Edun further noted that the fuel cost for CNG-powered vehicles is about one-third of the fuel for petrol-powered vehicles.

He said motorists can now pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more.

Edun added: “Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides.

“This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again,”

The Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC, Comrade Nuhu Toro; NANS president, Comrade Lucky Emonefe; and the Head of International Desk, NLC, Comrade Uche Ekwe, commended President Tinubu for the gesture.

They also called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.

The Star