•Three centres get kits •N3,500 CNG will take a car from Abuja to Kaduna, says expert
- Edo varsity mandates CNG conversion training for students
The Federal Government at the weekend started the conversion of commercial vehicles to use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Kaduna, Ibadan, and some other designated centres across the country.
Three accredited conversion centres in Kaduna State received free kits, including cylinders and other accessories from the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (P-CNGi).
Delivering the kits to Rolling Energy, one of the conversion centrss at Kakau on Kaduna-Abuja expressway, P-CNGi’s Coordinator of Logistics and Supply Chain, Mr. Thomas Ayu, said the programme aimed to support transporters and unions by converting their vehicles to a more efficient, economical and safe energy.
He said: “What we are doing today is basically the handing over of kits and cylinders for the conversion initiative of Mr. President to our transport sector. Rolling Energy is one of our partners that is converting vehicles in the transport sector on behalf of our programme.
“We have various kits here. We have kits for six cylinders and for four cylinders. Mr. President wants Nigerians and the transport sector to enjoy as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
“P-CNGi is converting cars for transport companies for free. The cylinders, kits and cost of conversion is totally free…
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“For Kaduna State in this programme, we have 150 kits and 150 cylinders. We are going to provide more kits and more cylinders in the coming months. We are targeting to give more than 10,000 kits this month across the country.
“Our mandates are not for personal cars at the moment but strictly for people in the transport sector.”
Rolling Energy’s Lead Station and Technical Services, Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq, said the centre had screened the 50 vehicles and was well prepared for the conversion.
In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the Business Development Executive of Presidential CNG, Louisa Afu, explained that the conversion was meant to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal and promote cleaner energy.
She said certified technicians were involved in the installation of CNG kits in vehicles, allowing them to run on natural gas instead of petrol.
Afu said: “We are here on behalf of the President to hand over 150 conversion kits and cylinders. These kits are to be used by commercial vehicles. This is one of the ways the President has said he feels the pains of Nigerians.”
The Vice Chairman and Treasurer of Park Management System (PMS) in Oyo State, Alhaji Ademola Adeoye, and Kamorudeen Idowu, described the conversion as a welcome development in the transportation sector.
Also, a 65-litre water capacity cylinder of CNG, which costs N3,500 to fill, will take a car from Abuja to Kaduna, a distance of about 191 kilometres, an expert, Mr. Mas’ud Ya’u, has said.
An engineer and Manager of ABG Conversion Centre at Dawaki, one of the Federal Government’s accredited CNG conversion centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ya’u spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) when the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGi) inspected and distributed CNG conversion kits to six centres in Abuja.
He said: “CNG is safe. The gas tank is fire and bullet-proofed and the thickness of the tank is between 15mm and 20mm.
“A 65-litres water capacity of CNG will cover 170 kilometres to 200 kilometres, which means it can conveniently take you from Abuja to Kaduna.
“To fill a CNG of a 65-litre water capacity will cost N3,500,” he said.
Also, Edo University at Uzairue has mandated a year industrial training for its students in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering to acquire skills in conversion of fuel vehicles to CNG.
Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Dawood O. Egbefo, announced this while kicking off the initiative.
In the university’s statement yesterday in Benin, Egbefo said the move was meant to reduce the burden of fuel cost, increased access to affordable transportation, job creation and economic growth.
The acting VC said the programme would also reduce carbon emissions, and alleviate poverty.