Mary Onyia
As part of the activities marking the 64th independence anniversary of the country, the Federal Government has given 64 out of the 500 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses promised to the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The representatives of TUC and NANS received the buses on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
The Federal Government planned to distribute over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the first instance, in line with its commitment to cleaner energy.
Mr Wale Edun, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, who led the government delegation to the handover ceremony, said, “Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. The emphasis is on mass transit.”
Speaking at the event, Edun said the handover of the buses is a fulfilment of the promises made by president Tinubu to providing affordable and efficient transport system to the masses following the removal of fuel subsidy, under the presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, PCNGi.
He said the deployment of the commuter buses would significantly reduce transportation costs in the country, adding that the initiative aimed at alleviating the burden on the poor and vulnerable and supporting macroeconomic reforms would position the country on the path to economic stability.
According to the Minister, the handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marked the beginning of a broader national rollout.
Receiving the buses, Comrade Nuhu Toro, the Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC; Comrade Lucky Emonefe, NANS president, and Comrade Uche Ekwe, the Head of International Desk, NLC, expressed their appreciation at the gesture and called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.
The federal government delegation included Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and Mr Ayodele Olawande, Minister of State for Youth Development.