The Ogun State Government has announced that it will use mass transit buses that are powered by compressed natural gas to reduce the state’s transportation sector’s harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Gbenga Dairo, the state’s commissioner for transportation, stated that the administration acknowledged that using CNG fuel in vehicles would increase operations and maintenance costs.
Dairo emphasized that the state’s transportation policy goals, devised in collaboration with the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, are in line with the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s ambition to use CNG fuel for state-owned rolling stock assets.
The project’s first phase is being carried out in collaboration with Mauto Holdo DMCC, according to the commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Sola Osasona.
He added that the conversion process for the pilot phase would serve as a test run, noting that this would take between four and six weeks. It will involve the Bus Mass Transit buses currently in operation in the state capital, as well as others to be deployed in the fleet to serve the planned Mowe-Berger Axis BMT scheme ahead of its full rollout across the state once the expected operational and environmental performance advantages have been verified and confirmed.
According to the commissioner, the initiative will lead to a cleaner economy, provide job opportunities during the conversion process, and reduce the cost of fuel. He added that the project was also part of a gas-to-power strategy that would light up some parts of the state.