By News Editor
No fewer than 1,050 commercial vehicles that passed quality test, would this weekend benefit from the free installation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as the pilot phase of the exercise kicks off in four states and Abuja, the FCT today.
Twenty-one designated centres have been identified to handle the exercise which would take place from 3pm – 6pm.
While Abuja and Lagos has six centres apiece, designated as accredited centres, Kaduna, Ogun and Oyo States, each have three centres, where interested operators can have their vehicles tested and their converted to a bi-fuel, which can use the CNG or fossil fuel.
The kits to be given free of charge today are the gas cylinders and the necessary kits which would be fitted on benefiting vehicles.
The exercise which would be on a First Come First Served basis, will take place between 3pm and 6pm, at all dedicated centres that are working with the Pi-CNG Programme.
Information circulated by the Pi-CNG stated that 50 vehicles that passed the immediate inspection test for the conversion to CNG bi-fuel would be installed free of charge in each of the centres.
According to the statement and fliers circulated by the agency, all vehicles fully installed with the kits will also N230 fuel today.
All prospective operator are to come with evidence of mass transit union membership, state registration as a commercial vehicle operator, or commercial vehicle licence.
The free conversion is the fulfilment of the promise of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give one million commercial vehicles across the 36 states and Abuja, and from the six geo political zones free conversion kits free.
The exercise will take place simultaneously at all accredited designated centres. In Abuja the exercise will take place at six centres: NITT at Jabi District, ABG Dawaki, along Kubwa Expressway, opposite Charlie Boy Bus Stop, and Portland, opposite Obafemi Awolowo Way, Utako. Other locations in Abuja are; Bovas, along Herbert Macaulay Way, Wuse, NIPCO Gas, Sabon Lugbe, on SouthWest Layout and C&L Smart Energy at Lokogoma.
In Lagos, the six designated centres where operators can go and retrofit their vehicles are; FEMADEC, along Lekki-Epe Expressway, Abijo area, Lekki; Portland, Ojota Interchange Terminal, Ojota, Ikezovest Km 23 Lekki-Epe, Ajah; Dana Motors at Kia Plaza, Oshodi Apapa Expressway, Isolo, MBH Power at Km 5, Ikotun Road, Itamope, Ikorodu, and Autogig Centre, Gbagada Expressway, Gbagada.
At Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, three designated centres where operators can go for their free conversion are: Bovas Ajibode Outlet, along the University of Ibadan, UI, Ojoo, Automation Autogas at Podo Industrial Village, and NIPCO Gas, Mobil Filling Station, Toll gate, Ibadan.
In Ogun State, the two centres earmarked for the conversion exercise are; NGTS- OPIC, located at OPIC Building, OPIC Roundabout, Ibara, Abeokuta and NextGen at Olorunsogo area, Moshood Abiola Way, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
For those in Kaduna, they could go to three centres; Rolling Energy Centre on Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, Kakau, Behin-Markpoint-Anos8 at Michibi Road, Pandrive, Kakuri, and NIIT Zaria Centre, ocated along Basawa Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.
The Tinubu administration is proritizing commercial operators in its quest to get one million vehicles converted to CNG fuel by 2025 in its efforts to revolutionise the transportation sector and shift attention from fossil fuel to the CNG thereby promoting cleaner, safer and better environment.
The shift to CNG has been regarded by operators as a bold step by the Tinubu administration following the removal of subsidy and to ensure the provision of cheaper alternative following the escalating price of Diesel and PMS following the deregulation of the oil sector and removal of subsidy.
At all the 21 designated centres in the five pilot states operators vehicles would be tested to check if their vehicle engines could still carry the retrofit kits before being fitted with the new kits.
Only vehicles which passed this conversion inspection test would benefit from the CNG kits, the statement added.