President Bola Tinubu on Monday said his administration was determined to meet the transportation needs of Nigerians.
The President made the remarks while inaugurating 30 CNG hybrid buses donated by the Depots and Marketers Association of Petroleum Products of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) to the Federal Government on Monday in Abuja.
“I am very pleased to receive these buses from the Government as they represent an important innovation for the transport system.
“Using natural gas to power our transportation industry is the next way forward.
“With our gas, if we work harder to be productive and innovative, using CNG vehicles is an economic necessity that we must embrace,” he said.
Images of the hybrid buses inaugurated by Tinubu
The President said he noted the yearnings of many ordinary Nigerians in transportation and thanked INNOSON Motors and others who were committed to changing the narrative in the country’s transportation industry.
“If we can improve our energy competitiveness and create transformative changes like this, we can definitely achieve the prosperity we are working so hard to achieve for our people.
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“Countries like India have mandated the use of CNG for commercial vehicles since 2004, and in Nigeria, commercial vehicles account for about 80 percent of our gasoline demand, costing us trillions of naira every month.
“The solution is here. We have it and we will work on it. We promise you that. Things will definitely improve, prosperity will be achieved,” he said.
DAPPMAN Chairperson Winifred Akpani said the hybrid buses were designed, manufactured and delivered by INNOSON Motors, a Nigerian company based in Nnewi.
Picture of one of the hybrid buses inaugurated by Tinubu
“These are hybrid buses that will run on CNG. Each of these buses has the capacity to transport 100 people and they also have the alternative use of diesel.
“They are hybrid buses and we are very pleased to be able to present this first batch today. And we continue to assure this government of our full support as marketers.
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“We will continue to make an extra effort to alleviate the problems of all of us, not just the oppressed but everyone,” he said.
Ms Akpani said DAPPMAN had taken steps to train two drivers for each of the buses at the facilities where they were manufactured.
“We ask that whoever receives the buses at the end contact DAPPMAN so that we can coordinate the training, because we believe that it is very important that these buses are handled properly for their durability.
“We are very confident that this will help lower transportation costs, and we know that if transportation costs go down, food and many other things will go down.
“On behalf of DAPPMAN, we are very pleased to present this set of buses to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.
(YAYA)