By Ken Afor
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the Federal Government aims to bring down the cost of transportation by over 50% through the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative.
He made this known on Thursday when he received the National Executive Committee of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in his office in Abuja on Thursday.
In a statement released by Rabiu Ibrahim, Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Minister commended IPMAN for its role in championing the cause of green energy in the transport sector.
It would be recalled that last year following the removal of fuel subsidy which led to an increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), the federal government announced that it would introduce CNG buses across the country as part of its palliative measures to ease the high cost of transportation that Nigerians incur daily when commuting.
“In the wake of the removal of fuel subsidy, of course it was expected that the price of PMS will go up. This will in turn affect the transportation cost for Nigerians going to and fro their various places of work.
“The Federal Government immediately thought it wise, in addition to other measures, to introduce the CNG. The CNG is expected to bring down the cost of transportation by more than 50% and I am happy that IPMAN is in the forefront in this vanguard of achieving the CNG Initiative,” he said.
The Minister underscored that President Tinubu’s decisive action to eliminate the fuel subsidy has provided a distinctive opportunity for organizations like IPMAN to spearhead the transformation of the energy landscape in Nigeria.
The minister highlighted that the nation can rely on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a viable alternative to reduce transportation costs.
He mentioned that the federal government has allocated N100 billion for procuring CNG buses and establishing CNG centers nationwide and the introduction of tax waivers for CNG kit importers and other investors in the sub-sector.
“You would recall that the Federal Government in the first instance, set aside N100 billion for the purchase of CNG buses and establishment of CNG centres around the country,” he said.
The Minister, while seeking IPMAN’s support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, expressed gratitude for their recognition of his ministry and its agencies as valuable partners.
He commended IPMAN for their commitment to combating the spread of fake news regarding the association’s activities.
The Minister lamented the detrimental impact of fake news on societal structures and expressed hope through collaboration with UNESCO to devise measures to address this issue.
In fostering the partnership between the Ministry and IPMAN, Idris pledged to increase the visibility of association’s in-house curated program, “IPMAN Today,” on various public information agencies under his ministry.
In his remarks, IPMAN President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi Shettima, pledged his support for the President’s CNG Initiative and assured to collaborate with the government in the green energy program with the aim to contribute to the achievement of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
