The Kaduna State Government’s Free Compressed Natural Gas Mass Transit Scheme has been praised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who called it an example of a people-focused intervention.
The president added that in order to lower transport expenses and lessen the burden on households, subnational governments must make such initiatives.
President Tinubu made “special mention” of Kaduna State’s assistance in a post on his official X account, pointing out that it shows how the switch to less expensive domestic electricity may result in real alleviation for the people.
The president claims that the Kaduna State plan “is more of what we need to see at the subnational level.”
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The president’s praise coincided with the 36 states’ and the federal government’s increased efforts to expedite the National Affordable CNG Transit Program in order to achieve quantifiable lower transportation costs nationwide.
Recall that on August 27, the President met with the Governors to resolve a coordinated strategy to guarantee that Nigerians start to see significant alleviation in their daily commuting expenditures on October 1.
Under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, an implementation committee was soon established, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the governor of Kwara State and the forum’s chairman, was chosen to serve as its chairman.
In order to identify priority transportation corridors, choose suitable interventions, and create the operational framework necessary for successful implementation, the committee has been collaborating with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles, state governments, and other important stakeholders.
Disruptions in the world’s energy sources have increased the urgency of the project by putting further pressure on the price of petrol and diesel, which has raised transportation costs globally.
The Federal Government stated that Nigeria cannot shield itself from fluctuations in global energy markets, claiming that the nation’s plentiful gas resources provide a viable means of lessening its susceptibility.
The President has consistently stated that going back to the expensive petrol subsidy system would expose Nigeria’s economy to changes in global oil prices and deplete resources needed for growth.
Nonetheless, the federal government plans to assist states that have adopted CNG transportation and assist them in expanding initiatives that can provide citizens with quantifiable and immediate benefits.
Accepting the assistance, the Kaduna State Government created a program based on a fleet of 100 CNG-powered buses that have made almost 3.2 million passenger trips.
This support has reportedly saved commuters approximately ₦3.5 billion in its first year of operation, making it one of the government’s most significant responses to the elimination of gasoline subsidies.
In response to the President’s praise, Governor Uba Sani conveyed Kaduna State’s sincere gratitude for the honour and reiterated his administration’s commitment to upholding laws that safeguard vulnerable households, increase access to necessary services, and put the people at the center of government.
“We sincerely thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this honour and for his administration’s ongoing assistance to subnational governments in providing our people with significant initiatives.
“Kaduna State continues to set national standards in important areas, such as addressing the issue of children who are not in school, growing vocational training and skill development, and developing CNG mass transit.”
“Kaduna is still the only subnational government that offers its citizens free CNG mass transit rides.”
The Kaduna Free CNG Mass Transit Scheme is a reflection of the broader philosophy of the Governor Uba Sani administration, which holds that public policy should be evaluated based on its observable impact on citizens’ daily lives rather than just the amount of money spent by the government or the aspirations of official statements.