The 5.2 million standard cubic feet Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)/Autogas facility inaugurated in Lagos on Thursday to be used by vehicles and companies for powering their plants will reduce environmental pollution and ensure environmental sustainability, the Managing Director of NNPC Gas Marketing Limited, Justin Ezeala, has said.
“CNG is cheaper, cleaner, eco-friendly, more efficient, and safer than petrol. It solves the energy problem in the country.
“We are reducing environmental pollution, ensuring environmental sustainability, and leveraging the abundance of gas in the country.
“It is relatively cheaper, offers people a softer means of powering their vehicles, and it offers companies a cheaper means of powering their plants,” he said.
Ezeala spoke at the CNG facility’s inauguration by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo.
He said the president’s announcement of fuel subsidy removal got a lot of people worried, which prompted the government to focus on alternative fuels.
He said: “NNPC Limited, being the premier energy company in Nigeria, through its subsidiaries, has transversed the entire value chain and has been at the forefront of developing new ideas and technologies, especially CNG.
“NGML has partnered with AXXELA and Transit Gas Limited at this particular site to promote the digitization and monetization of natural gas resources.
“Under this collaboration, we have established this state-of-the-art facility, and I am going to have the privilege of taking you around it.
“This event represents a crucial step towards achieving cleaner and cheaper energy, which is intended to galvanize our country’s industry development, translate to a lot of savings, enhance energy security, and create an economic boom.
“It reduces our dependence on fossil fuels and mitigates environmental degradation suffered by communities. This initiative enables various sectors, including power and transportation, to transition to cleaner and more sustainable fuel sources.
“In the next three to four days, we will be commissioning an additional NGML CNG station in partnership with NIPCO; this will happen in Lagos and Abuja.
“At the end of the commissioning, we will be doing a raffle draw, and five lucky winners will have their cars converted into CNG free of charge,” he said.
In his goodwill message, the Programme Director/CEO of the Presidential CNG Initiative, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, said that the event was a landmark achievement in line with the forward-thinking vision of Mr. President.
According to Oluwagbemi, the facility not only represents a significant step towards reducing the country’s carbon footprint and dependence on conventional fuels, but it is also an investment in the economic empowerment of communities.
He said Lagos State is lucky to have the facility, a state that is the economic hub of the country.
“With 40% of Nigeria’s traffic intensity in Lagos, it deserves a cheaper, safer, more reliable, and definitely cleaner source of fuel-powered transportation.
“As we move forward, let this facility serve as a testament, a beacon of progress, and a catalyst for further advancements in our energy infrastructure.
“Together, we will continue to champion this initiative that promotes sustainability, economic growth, and a healthier environment for future generations of Nigeria,” he said.
The Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, represented by the Commissioner of Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya, recalled that following the president’s directive, the state converted all its mass transit buses to CNG buses.
He said: “We started our partnership with all the CNG deports. Ogun State has the largest CNG pipeline in Nigeria. Shell has about 80 kilometres from Agbara to Otta, Transit Gas Nigeria Limited has over 18 kilometres from Ibefun to Ososa, and many more are still going on in Ogun State.
“Ogun State has the largest number of industries right now, and many of the industries are already on CNG. Ogun State is more than ready for the utilization of CNG and to reduce our carbon footprint in Nigeria.”
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