Mr Godwin Obaseki has revealed that over 5,600 vehicles currently operating in Edo State make use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Benin City, the capital city of Edo State.
The Governor shared this while speaking with journalists on the issue of fuel subsidy removal in the country.
He stated: “Data from NIPCO Gas, a joint-venture company between NIPCO and Nigeria Gas Company Limited (NGC), indicate that over 5,600 vehicles in Benin City run on Compressed Natural Gas after the initiative was rolled out in 2007 and commissioned in 2009.”
The Governor also beckoned on investors to make investments in alternative sources of energy, such as natural gas, in the wake of subsidy removal, which had led to a hike in transportation costs across the country.
Adding to his statement, the Governor said: “We are blessed with a lot of gas in Edo. There is really no reason why our tricycles and vehicles should be using petrol. We have more gas stations in Edo than in other states. We should be using more gas.
“Price levels would always go up. What we have to do is to open up the economy so that people will have more work to do. We need more manufacturing companies in Edo state.
“The gas initiative was launched after a presentation by NIPCO Plc to roll out a pilot scheme to an inter-ministerial team of the Federal Government in 2007.”
Concluding his statement on the case of CNG in Edo state, the Governor added: “NIPCO Gas has established 15 CNG running stations in Benin to provide an alternative for the Gasoline run automobiles.”
