By Paul Effiong, Abuja
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas has expressed optimism that the Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, policy is a central pillar of Nigeria’s energy transition plan.
Speaker Abbas stated this yesterday during an investigative hearing on the policy’s implementation held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
He observed that the CNG adoption policy represents a strategic move toward ensuring cleaner, safer and more affordable alternatives to petrol, particularly in the transport sector.
Represented at the hearing by Sada Soli, the speaker noted that Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves made the policy both logical and vital for energy security and economic diversification in the country.
Justifying the investigative hearing organised the House Ad-hoc Committee on CNG Implementation, Abbas disclosed that it was aimed at identifying bottlenecks as well as in assessing transparency in order to ensure the policy benefits all Nigerians, including ordinary people.
He added that the policy was introduced as part of government’s measures to cushion the negative impact of petrol subsidy removal so as to stimulate job creation in the gas value chain across the country.
The speaker, however, noted some rising concerns about the pace of execution as well as the infrastructural readiness and safety standards.
In his presentation, Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Jaha Usman expressed worry that the ambitious programme risked failure if questions surrounding access, sustainability, and accountability were not urgently addressed.
The committee therefore revealed its determination to urgently scrutinise how N100billion from the N500billion palliative fund had been spent, alongside claims of N760billion in private sector investment in Nigeria.
While commending the speaker for constituting the committee, Usman said the mandate of his panel included reviewing safety standards as well as making sure that CNG is equitably distributed across all centres.
While pledging to fulfil all the mandate, the chairman also emphasised determination to ensure that the policy was made to work in absolute alignment with global best practices.
During investigative hearing,
Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, pledged his full support for the initiative, describing CNG as a safe and cost-effective alternative to conventional fuels.
Represented by Deputy Corps Marshal Abiodun Akinlade, Mohammed said CNG’s properties such as its higher ignition point and lower volatility make it safer than petrol.
He recommended that the National Assembly should legislate safety protocols for conversion centres, fund personnel training, and integrate CNG compliance into national roadworthiness checks.
