By Oghenevoke Otobu.
Delta State Government says talk is on with the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative to assist the state with CNG conversion kits .
The State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Onoriode Agofure stated this in Asaba while commenting on steps being taken by the Delta State Government to alleviate the plights of the residents over the adverse effects on fuel subsidy removal.
He said the state government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a CNG company to set up a fueling station in Asaba, the state capital as a pilot station.
”It’s a very important milestone that we have reached with the MOU signed with the CNG company to set up a fueling station in Asaba. It will benefit Deltans when the facility is built. It’s something that we have been working on for a very long time. CNG is one of the cheapest fuel in terms of transportation. It’s safe and very clean with small amount of emission.”
Mr Ogofure who hinted that the cost of converting to a CNG vehicle is about a million naira, described it as huge, and beyond the affordability of many poor vehicle owners.
He said the State Government was making efforts to meet the criteria set by the Presidential CNG Initiative, to enable the state to benefit from conversion kits.
”The Presidential CNG Initiative is willing to bring conversion kits for states that show seriousness vis-a-vis building of a fueling station. We are meeting the Presidential CNG Initiative to let them know that we have done our part, and that it’s now their responsibility to assist Delta State with some free conversion kits”
“The state government will also see what we can do to procure some conversion kits because the kits are quite expensive; one goes for about 600 dollars, which is close to a million naira,” Agofure pointed out.
The Commissioner who gave an assurance that the use of CNG vehicles would relieve vehicle owners the high cost spent in buying PMS, said compressed natural gas is environmentally friendly, safer, and more reliable than other alternatives.
