By Dare Akogun
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Tuesday received 20 gas-powered buses and 20 tricycles under the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), aimed at alleviating the impact of fuel subsidy removal and enhancing public transportation in the state.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Ilorin, AbdulRazaq described the initiative as a strategic collaboration between the Federal Government, private sector stakeholders, and the state government.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to mitigating the effects of the subsidy removal on Nigerians.
“This is another strategic partnership between our government, private sector players, and the Federal Government to bring ease to our people.
“These 18-seater shuttle buses and tricycles will be deployed to support the public transport system at a discounted cost to the people,” he said.
The Governor highlighted the socioeconomic benefits of the initiative, which include job creation, poverty reduction, and a transition to affordable, cleaner energy sources.
He also revealed plans to establish a gas-powered tricycle assembly plant in the state in collaboration with B-One Mobility Limited.
Federal Government’s Commitment to CNG
Executive Vice Chairman, P-CNG, Mr Toyin Zubair, commended Kwara for embracing the CNG initiative, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to converting one million vehicles from petrol to CNG.
He also noted plans to establish additional vehicle conversion centres across the country.
“Kwara is one of the states that have keyed into the CNG initiative. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been a strong pillar behind the transformative agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Zubair said.
CEO B One Mobility Limited, Mr Atul Saraf emphasized the initiative’s potential to create over 14,500 jobs, including 5,000 direct and 9,500 indirect employment opportunities.
He highlighted the broader vision of the programme, which extends to providing utility vehicles, garbage tippers, ambulances, and firefighting equipment, among others.
“Our vision extends far beyond job creation. We are introducing a holistic mobility ecosystem solution,” Saraf said.
He lauded President Tinubu for fostering an enabling environment for the adoption of transformative Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) technology.
The initiative marks another milestone in Kwara State’s efforts to improve public transportation and support the country’s shift toward cleaner energy sources.
