Near-absence of CNG in North is alarming – Centre

Centre for Human Resource and Development (CHRD) has condemned the near-absence of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Northern Nigeria.

A statement signed by the coordinator of the centre, Kola Sami’u, and its secretary, Yusufu Garba, said the development is indicative of the lopsided distribution of the commodity in Nigeria.

The centre called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas to investigative the development and bring the situation under control.

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The statement added the firms engaged by the Federal Government in the region have proven inefficient going by findings available to the centre.

The statement reads, “It is noticeable that the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) was launched about a year ago.

“The Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu unveiled the initiative as a strategic response to ease pressure on the demand for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) consumption following the removal of fuel subsidies and it received substantial government and private investments.

“The government said it is committed to converting 150,000 vehicles within the first year and will reach one million conversions by 2027. So far, the number of converted vehicles is estimated at fewer than 100,000. Apparently, the number of converted vehicles in the north compared to the south is abysmal. This is not unconnected with the near-absence of functional CNG centres in the north.

“But sadly, thorough investigations by this centre have shown that the private firms engaged by the federal government to convey CNG to the north are either not qualified or are ill-prepared to handle this humongous project.

“Currently, CNG is almost non-existence in nearly all the northern states including Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Borno, Niger, etc. The CNG centres under construction in the north are taking too long to take up.

“Comparatively, other private firms engaged by the federal government to deliver Compressed Natural Gas in the south are handling the project. We can boastfully say that CNG is almost a success in the region.

“The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has promised, since the removal of the fuel subsidies, to ease the tension thereof through the CNG initiative. The government also promised to ensure equitable distribution of resources to all the regions.

“Based on this, we unequivocally call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas to, as a matter of urgency, to investigative this menace as it is fast becoming bane to social development in the north.

“Failure to address this issue will further fling the region into a deeper economic crisis, thereby giving the government a bad name.

“Going by the challenges of the Presidential initiative on CNG in the north, we are demanding that the Federal Government revoke the project, sack the contractors and hand the project to efficient firms, capable of delivering on time.

“However, the Federal Government is targeting $1 billion (USD) in annual investments for compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion projects. Before expending this huge amount of money on the project that is arguably becoming a “white elephant” in the north, we urge the Federal Government to conduct a thorough assessment to avoid wastage and to align the region with its counterpart in respect of CNG distribution.”

On its website, the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi) stated that its conversion Center Establishment Program will start by setting up 10 pilot conversion workshops, and by 2027, its goal is to have 1,000 workshops in operation.

Pi-CNG is a component of the palliative intervention of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration directed at providing succor to the masses occasioned by the transitive hardships of the fuel subsidy removal policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria.