The Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) in collaboration with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), yesterday, announced a 40 per cent reduction in transportation fares for routes serviced by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles in Abuja.

Speaking at a field briefing held at the Area 1 Motor Park, Abuja, the PCNGI Programme Director, Michael Oluwagbemi, said the fare reduction was a result of President Bola Tinubu?s directive to drive down transportation costs and improve energy efficiency nationwide.

Represented by the Regional Coordinator for CNG Expansion (North), Mr. David Idako, Oluwagbemi stated that the office has worked with the NURTW to convert a significant number of commercial vehicles to CNG and in return agreed to reduce transport fares for Nigerians.

To ensure compliance, Oluwagbemi noted that a dedicated taskforce comprising NURTW officials and PCNGI personnel had been deployed to monitor implementation, with PCNGI stickers and visible price tags to identify compliant vehicles easily.

Also, he announced that over 50 per cent of vehicles at Area 1 had already been converted, with plans to extend conversions to Area 3 and other parks across Abuja and the country, highlighting that enforcement will begin immediately.

?If they don?t comply, such a driver will be reported to the task force and be disciplined. So this is what we have put in place to check. Passengers also have the ability to report non-compliance,? he explained.

Speaking at the event, the NURTW Secretary, Garki Branch, Mr. Ibrahim Jibril, affirmed the union?s full support for the fare cut. He praised the president for his efforts in making life easy for the Nigerian citizens.

He said: ?Mr. President has tried his best to see how he can reduce the sufferings of Nigerians in order to reduce the price of transportation. And when this programme was launched, NURTW and other sister associations were all invited and were all given the opportunity.

?Drivers are benefiting too. CNG costs about N4,500 compared to N20,000 for petrol. So even after the 40 per cent fare cut, they still save significantly. I can confidently tell you that we?ve converted almost 70 per cent of the vehicles in Area 1, with more to follow,? he explained.

Also speaking, the PCNGI?s Commercial Coordinator, Mr. Tosin Coker, acknowledged that some drivers raised concerns over CNG availability at the filling stations, but assured the public that infrastructure expansion was underway.

?We now have 10 operational CNG filling stations in Abuja, with more being commissioned this month. The government is working hand-in-hand with private investors to ramp up availability,? Coker stated. (THISDAY)

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