Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The federal government says President Bola Tinubu is gradually guiding Nigeria into a unique energy transition phase through the launch of the presidential initiative to move the country from fossil fuels to Compressed Natural Gas, CNG as a fuel for vehicles and machinery.
According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the CNG project aims to reduce transportation costs for Nigerians by up to 60 percent, create thousands of jobs, and attract tens of millions of dollars in local and foreign investment.
Idris stated at a press conference to unveil the activities lined up for the 64th Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, said the CNG initiative is part of President Tinubu’s comprehensive economic transformation agenda, designed to address the country’s energy challenges and drive sustainable growth.
Idris emphasized that the CNG project demonstrates President Tinubu’s commitment to diversifying Nigeria’s energy mix and promoting economic development.
The Minister further stated that in a groundbreaking effort to transform rural socio-economic development in Nigeria, President Tinubu successfully sought and obtained a landmark Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments.
“The ongoing rollout of CNG and associated infrastructure is reducing transportation costs for Nigerians by up to 60 percent, creating jobs, and attracting tens of millions of dollars in local and foreign investment.
“In multiple ways the President is focused on putting more money in the pockets of the Nigerian people, and creating avenues for sustainable prosperity,” he said.
The Minister, who said that the 64th independence anniversary was a time of reflection, celebration, and renewed hope, stressed that so far Nigeria has demonstrated resilience, strength, capacity, and an unyielding spirit in the face of numerous and daunting challenges.
Idris said since gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria has evolved from a nation of hope and potential into a leading force on the African continent and a respected voice in the global community and that despite numerous trials, the nation always emerges stronger through the citizens’ shared unwavering vision of a united and prosperous country.
The Minister used the occasion to commend Nigerians for their patience and resilience in the current difficult period in the evolution of the nation’s economy, noting that the journey has been tough but there is light at the end of the tunnel.
He said with the recent ratification of the National Values Charter by the Federal Executive Council, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation would now commence the implementation of the Charter in line with the President’s commitment to fostering moral, ethical, and cultural reawakening.
“The charter will bolster the conviction that the things that unite—our sense of nationhood, our obligations to our country, and its obligations to us—will always be stronger and deeper than what may wish to divide us,” he said.
