Rep tasks states, LGAs on effective transport systems

The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets, Ademorin Kuye, has urged state governors and local government chairmen to establish effective transport systems as the federal government initiates the deployment of CNG buses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Kuye expressed appreciation for the federal government's introduction of 37 CNG-powered buses, which are now used to transport civil servants and others in Abuja.

This move, he argued, is timely as fuel-dependent transportation costs have been a significant financial burden for Nigerian workers, particularly junior and mid-level employees. By providing a subsidized, low-emission mass transit option, the government has taken a substantial step in mitigating the impact of the removal of petrol subsidies on the average worker.

Kuye emphasized that CNG combustion emits significantly fewer pollutants than petrol or diesel, which can enhance public health and reduce environmental degradation. However, he noted that 37 buses may not be sufficient to address the transportation needs of government workers in Abuja, let alone the millions of civil servants in the rest of the country.

Therefore, Kuye called on state governors and local government chairmen to follow suit and purchase CNG buses to transport civil servants or convert existing buses to CNG. He advised these authorities to collaborate with the Presidential Committee on Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) and private sector operators to obtain conversion kits, low-interest financing, and technical assistance.

Kuye stressed that institutionalizing this scheme as part of a comprehensive, sustainable state transport policy would be more beneficial than a short-term solution. He also urged the Federal Ministry of Transportation and PCNGI to accelerate the expansion of the CNG bus program and encouraged state legislators to facilitate the executive branch's swift action.