The Nigerian Government has officially handed over 20 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to the Oyo State Government in a ceremony held at the Pacesetter Transport Service (PTS) in Eleyele, Ibadan on Monday.
The handover was conducted by the Chief Executive Officer and Programme Director of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative Micheal Oluwagbemi.
Oluwagbemi emphasized that the deployment of these CNG buses is part of a broader strategy to address Nigeria’s dependency on petrol imports and to tackle other pressing challenges facing the country. He praised Ibadan for its historic role as a hub of commerce and innovation, noting that the city’s vibrant economic environment makes it an ideal location to launch the CNG program.
In his remarks, Oluwagbemi quoted President Bola Tinubu’s directive to harness the nation’s gas resources to advance various sectors, including transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. He acknowledged that while the transition involves overcoming certain obstacles, it is a necessary step toward sustainable development. The 20 buses, he noted, represent a significant investment in the future of mass transit in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.
Receiving the buses on behalf of the Oyo State Government, Chairman and Sole Administrator of PTS Salami Dikko, expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Government and President Tinubu. Dikko highlighted the progress made under his leadership, noting that the number of operational buses has grown from five to 81. He identified CNG as a critical solution to the state’s transportation issues, particularly in light of the subsidy removal’s impact.
Dikko further urged the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PI-CNG) to provide an additional 100 CNG buses to expand coverage across more routes within the state, underscoring the need for continued investment in sustainable transit solutions.
In a message of support,the Special Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Environment Ademola Aderinto praised CNG as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy source. Aderinto expressed enthusiasm about Oyo State’s leadership in adopting this initiative and extended appreciation to both President Tinubu and Governor Makinde for their commitment to advancing this transformative change in the transportation sector.
