Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, asserted yesterday in Abuja that the private sector plays a pivotal role in realizing the federal government’s initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the country. His statement came during the commissioning of the ABG CNG Plant and the graduation ceremony of 40 CNG Conversion Technicians.
Idris, commending the noble and timely efforts of the ABG Group, emphasized that CNG is here to stay as a more cost-effective means in the transportation sector. He applauded President Bola Tinubu’s foresight in spearheading the adoption of CNG as a dominant alternative to premium motor spirits for powering commercial and private vehicles.
“The CNG is the future, and it is, therefore, important for Nigerian entrepreneurs to seize the advantage of the government’s policy on CNG by investing in the human and material assets required to expand its infrastructure across Nigeria,” stated Idris. The minister highlighted that President Tinubu’s government has committed N100 billion in the first instance towards CNG, and the appeal of CNG, along with its opportunities, played a role in softening negotiations between the Nigerian Labour Congress and the federal government.
Alhaji Bawa Garba, Chairman of the ABG Group, echoed the sentiment that CNG is a clean energy solution requiring government support and patronage to become widespread, showcasing Nigeria as a “Gas Nation.”
“Our group is grateful to President Tinubu for the bold decision to adopt CNG. We are a pioneering company, and our involvement in the CNG initiative is underscored by the training of numerous CNG conversion engineers across Nigeria,” expressed Alhaji Garba.