Lawmaker backs CNG buses

Ademorin Kuye, the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets, has advocated for the adoption of compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered mass transit systems across Nigeria. The lawmaker's call comes in response to the recent deployment of 37 CNG-powered buses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative.

Kuye believes that such schemes can alleviate the financial strain on workers, who are increasingly burdened by the cost of transportation following the removal of the petrol subsidy. He praised the Federal Government for taking a concrete step to cushion the impact of this subsidy removal on ordinary workers by providing a subsidised, low-emission alternative.

Kuye emphasized that the initiative would directly benefit civil servants who spend a large portion of their salaries on commuting and indirectly reduce dependence on petrol. He also highlighted the environmental and public health benefits of CNG-powered buses, citing their lower emissions compared to petrol and diesel vehicles.

However, Kuye pointed out that the current deployment of 37 buses falls short of meeting the transportation needs of government workers in Abuja and the broader workforce in states and local governments. He urged state governors and local government chairmen to emulate the initiative and procure additional CNG buses or convert existing ones to CNG.

Kuye argued that a functional mass transit system is more sustainable than one-off cash transfers and called for collaboration with the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) and private operators to improve access to CNG conversion kits and financing. He also urged state and local governments to work with the PCNGI and private operators to expand the programme beyond Abuja, providing relief to more workers and commuters.