FG gives labour, student unions 64 CNG buses

The Federal Government on Sunday handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses to the Organised Labour unions and the National Association of Nigerian Students at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Sunday.

The 100-capacity buses, which are part of the Presidential CNG initiative’s pilot programme, will be distributed across the states and campuses in what the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, called a “necessary first step.”

Idris said 40 buses would go to the labour unions, 20 to the student unions and four will transport passengers within Abuja.

Sunday’s move comes six weeks after President Bola Tinubu launched 30 hybrid-powered Compressed Natural Gas buses donated by the Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria at the State House in Abuja.

It also comes about 48 hours before the country’s 64th Independence Day anniversary on October 1, 2024, as Nigerians plan to protest the harsh living conditions nationwide.

Last October, the buses formed part of tough back-and-forth negotiations between the FG and the organised labour unions, which had threatened to begin a nationwide strike.

At the time, the government agreed to vote N100bn to provide high-capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria, then Labour Minister, Simon Lalong, revealed.

Lalong said plans were underway for an initial 55,000 CNG conversion kits to kick-start an autogas conversion programme, while work was ongoing on state-of-the-art CNG stations nationwide.

“The rollout aims to commence by November with pilots across 10 campuses nationwide,” he noted.

However, the programme had suffered delays as Nigerians continued to stagger under the mounting cost of transportation and soaring petrol pump prices.

The FG said the vehicles were unavailable for direct purchase and are only being manufactured upon order.

In April 2024, the Presidency announced it would release about 2,700 CNG-powered buses and tricycles before the end of 2024. This includes 600 buses, 2,500 tricycles, 100 conversion workshops, and 60 refuelling sites across 18 states.

Speaking at the Sunday event, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris, told journalists, “This is a necessary first step that the government has taken, and we are giving out 64 buses to commemorate the 64th independence anniversary of our great country.

“Forty of these buses are going to the labour unions. You heard the representative of the labour here accepting them. Twenty of the buses are going to the students union, and about four will now be here in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Now, let me emphasise that this is not all. Over 700 of these buses have already been ordered. These are the first sets we are giving out to symbolise the official commencement of this initiative of Mr. President. So don’t say that you only have 64 buses to cater to the whole of this country. It’s a necessary first step by government.”

Idris argued that since CNG costs far less than Premium Motor Spirit, Nigerians should expect to save 60 per cent on transportation costs when the initiative goes fully operational.

He explained, “You will spend far less to fuel it. Filling the two tanks you have seen here will cost you about N15,000, as against N72,000 for petrol. It’s a drastic reduction. The private sector is already contributing.

“This is beginning from those who need it the most; the working class will get this. But beyond that, everybody will feel the impact.

“It’s a promise that Mr president has kept to Nigerians, and we know that very soon, more of these buses will ply all the roads of this country.”

Asked about the possible hazard of having the gas cylinders positioned in the vehicle, Idris said, “Yes, we considered this. There is no risk of explosion. The cylinders themselves, as you have heard, are bulletproof. There are no joints, meaning they are not welded at any joint or parts.

“So, they are intact. They are safe, and you would not expect to see any explosion happening. The safety of Nigerians and the buses were considered in the design and supply of these cylinders.”

The Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, said the CNG-fuelled vehicles cost one-third of the petrol-fuelled vehicles, significantly reducing transportation costs and helping to fight inflation.

“This signifies a major step in the fight against inflation. 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 we keep inflation coming down. This is one of the major ways CNG-fuelled transportation.

“CNG-fuelled vehicles cost one-third of the PMS of a petrol-fuelled vehicle. So, instead of paying N50,000 to fill a tank, you’ll be paying N15,000. That’s a huge contribution towards fighting inflation and giving us lower costs.

“This also marks another important element of the President’s policies. It is transitioning to cleaner fuel, but most importantly, cheaper fuel for Nigerians. The emphasis is on mass transit, to intervene on the side of workers so that they have cheaper transport that helps them cope with the increased price level generally, which was an inevitable fallout of improving the economy,” said Edun.

The Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress, Nigeria, Mr. Nuhu Toro, expressed gratitude for the CNG buses but noted that the number provided was not fully proportional to the needs of the workforce.

Toro said, “This step forward brings us closer to a future where workers and the planet benefit from such forward-thinking policies, which is commendable.

“However, while we deeply appreciate this donation, we must acknowledge a concern: the number of buses provided is not fully proportional to the needs of the workforce. Though appreciated, they are not enough to address the logistical challenges we face.

“With 36 states across the federation and a large population of workers under the TUC and the NLC, we urge the government to do more, expand this initiative, providing additional resources to ensure that every worker can benefit from this programme.”

The Head of International Relations of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Uchenna Ekwe, echoed a similar concern.

Ekwe said, “If we get more busses, the effect will translate immediately, and once it translates, you will know. If people start entering these buses and feeling the impact, they will shout about it in their neighbourhoods.”

On his part, the Director of the Presidential Initiative on CNG, Mr. Michael Oluwagbemi, provided updates on the initiative’s progress, including the establishment of over 125 CNG centres, $175m invested in the past year, 37 conversion centres expected before the end of 2024 and over 17,000 conversion kits supplied.

He explained, “Since our founding exactly one year ago, when Mr. President announced the Presidential CNG initiative, we’ve been able to move the nation forward. For one, Nigeria had seven conversion centres this time last year. Today, we can boast of over 125.

“We’ve tracked over $175m investment in the sector coming into mother stations. An additional 12 mother stations have been unveiled between last year and today. We’ve seen additional refuelling stations being invested in; about 75 of them are currently under construction, and the commissioning of about 12 already this year. We expect another 25 before the end of the year.”

Oluwagbemi said the PCNGi was creating jobs as more technicians were trained in vehicle conversion and maintenance.

“Jobs are being created. Just last year, we could boast of just less than 100 conversion technicians in Nigeria. Yesterday, I visited a workshop in Lokogoma where the gentleman spoke about training about 40 new technicians every week. NITT, NADDC, and all of these institutions are training everyday.

“Beyond this, over 34,000 conversion kits have already been ordered, and we have more than half of that in our hands and are already being distributed. Conversion is taking place across Nigeria. Yesterday, 53 conversion centres in eight states were launched. We hope by next week, an additional two states will join the train, and slowly but surely, all 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT will have convention centres.”

Meanwhile, the National Association of the Nigerian Students, Lucky Emonefe, expressed gratitude for the CNG busses and the student loan initiative, saying these initiatives highlighted the President’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian students.

The highlight of Sunday’s event was a test drive of one of the buses by the Finance Minister, Edun.