The Centre for Human Resource and Development (CHRD), has decried the near-absence of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the Northern parts of Nigeria, attributing the situation to a lopsided distribution of the commodity in the country.
In 2024, the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu had unveiled the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, Pi-CNG initiative as a strategic response to ease pressure on the demand for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) consumption, following the removal of fuel subsidies.
The government said it is committed to converting 150,000 vehicles within the first year and will reach one million conversions by 2027. So far, the number of converted vehicles is estimated at fewer than 100,000.
However, a statement released on Tuesday by the Center’s Coordinator and Secretary, Kola Sami’u and Yusufu Garba, respectively, lamented that the number of converted vehicles in the north compared to the south is abysmal.
“This is not unconnected with the near-absence of functional CNG centres in the north.
“Bud sadly, thorough investigations by this centre have shown that the private firms engaged by the federal government to convey CNG to the north are either not qualified or are ill-prepared to handle this humongous project.
“Currently, CNG is almost non-existence in nearly all the northern states including Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Borno, Niger and others.
“The CNG centres under construction in the north are taking too long to take up.
“Comparatively, other private firms engaged by the federal government to deliver Compressed Natural Gas in the south are handling the project.
“We can boastfully say that CNG is almost a success in the region,” the statement disclosed.
As a mark-up, the centre, therefore, called on the president, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas to investigate this menace, complaining that the situation was fast becoming bane to social development in the north.
The statement read: “The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has promised, since the removal of the fuel subsidies, to ease the tension thereof through the CNG initiative. The government also promised to ensure equitable distribution of resources to all the regions.
“Based on this, we unequivocally call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas to, as a matter of urgency, to investigative this menace as it is fast becoming bane to social development in the north.
“Failure to address this issue will further fling the region into a deeper economic crisis, thereby giving the government a bad name.
“Going by the challenges of the Presidential initiative on CNG in the north, we are demanding that the Federal Government revoke the project, sack the contractors and hand the project to efficient firms, capable of delivering on time.
“However, the Federal Government is targeting $1 billion (USD) in annual investments for compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion projects. Before expanding this huge amount of money on the project that is arguably becoming a “white elephant” in the north, we urge the Federal Government to conduct a thorough assessment to avoid wastage and to align the region with its counterpart in respect of CNG distribution.”