The Ogun State Government is set to roll out 15 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered mass transit buses in September to cushion the effect of the removal of oil subsidy on residents.
The former Special adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Energy, Mr. Olaniji Aisiga, disclosed this on Monday.
Aisiga also told journalists that efforts were being made to convert more buses to CNG-powered engines after the initial first phase.
“We are almost done. We hope to roll out in the next one or two weeks. We have successfully converted 15 fuel engines to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered engine buses,” he stated.
“They are Mass Transit Buses. It is a pilot phase for us. In about two weeks’ time, we will roll them out 100%,” Aisiga said.
Ogun State governor Abiodun had in July swiftly responded to the subsidy removal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the attendant hike in pump price of fuel.
Abiodun cam up with the idea of converting about 2000 fuel powered vehicles to CNG powered engines to help the people of Ogun State cope with the increment in transport fares.
He invited a team of technical engineers from India to Ogun State to begin the process of converting vehicles from fuel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
The move signalled the commencement of the E-Mobility and Gas Mobility Programme of the state government which involves conversion of mass transit buses from fuel to gas and tricycles and motorcycles to electric.
He also said the state government would set up fuelling stations for CNG to be positioned along the converted bus routes across the state.
