CNG: Reps, NITT move to reduce cost of transportation

The House of Representatives has vowed to reduce the hardship Nigerians are experiencing as a result of high price of petrol by making PMS-CNG conversation affordable to Nigerians.

The chairman of the House Committee on Land Transport, Hon Blessing Onuh, made the revelation when she led the committee members to Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria on an oversight visit on Tuesday.

Fielding questions from journalist shortly after being conducted round during oversight visit at NITT, Zaria she said her Committee has commenced discussion with the Institute towards making the petrol to CNG conversion cheaper and more affordable to Nigerians.

The lawmaker said Nigeria were clamouring for conversion of cars from Petrol to CNG which is cheaper and cleaner energy hence the need to make it more affordable to Nigerians.

“We will keep discussing with the Director-General of NITT towards making the conversion more affordable to Nigerians,” she said

However, the committee lamented that the institute was one of the federal government’s pilot institutions for the petrol/CNG conversion but most of the conversion centres across the country were yet to be completed.

She noted that Nigerians were suffering due to high cost petrol, adding that the institute has a pivotal role to play in ensuring that Nigerians are at ease especially on transportation aspects.

Onuh said she was amazed by the infrastructure she had seen at the Institute; adding that the institute was underutilized.
She also stressed the urgent need for improved publicity for the institute.

According to her, the improved publicity was to inform Nigeria and the global community on the services rendered by the institute for better patronage to enhance economic growth of the country.

She, therefore, reiterated a call to the Director General of NITT for increased publicity for the institute; pledging to support the institute by increasing funding to the institute towards harnessing its mandate.

In his remarks, the Director General, NITT, Dr. Bayero Farah, said in 2022 there was drastic reduction in budgetary allocation to the institute which made many projects at the institute uncompleted.

He therefore appealed for increased budgetary allocation for the institute’s programmes and activities.

Farah said the institute’s Act was enacted 40 years ago and many provisions of the Act require amendments.

The Director-General said the 9th Assembly passed the Act but it couldn’t secure presidential assent.
He appealed to the committee to push for the amendment of the institute’s Act for optimal performance.