….frowns at avoidable explosions of vehicles
By Our Correspondent
The National Assembly Friday tasked the Federal Government to carry out thorough adaptability tests or research on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as alternative source of energy for vehicles in Nigeria.
This is even as it frowned at avoidable explosions of some of the vehicles already converted from petrol powered automobiles to CNG powered ones.
It also decried the N903 million capital component for the Ministry of Petroleum in 2025 fiscal year.
These were highlights from 2025 budget defence session the National Assembly joint committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Petroleum (Upstream) and Gas had with the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources represented by the two Ministers of State in the Ministry.
After presenting the 2024 budget performance of the ministry and the 2025 proposal by the Minister of State (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, the first question asked the minister by Hon Kafilat Ogbara (Lagos state);was on the CNG conversion and incidences of vehicles’ explosion that happened in some parts of the country in recent time, seeking for explanations on way out of the ugly incidences.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) fired a followed up question by asking the Minister whether adaptability test or research was conducted before the idea of CNG was brought into the country for implementation.
“There is danger in adapting any form of technology without proper research or test on its adaptability.
“The vehicles being converted into CNG powered automobiles in Nigeria are originally built for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) aside bumpy or bad roads here, as against very smooth roads in countries where CNG technology is imported from.
“Also, was the factor of hot climate in Nigeria considered before importation of the idea of CNG?”, she asked.
But in his response, the Minister of State for Gas said there is a Presidential Committee on CNG that had carried out the adaptability test or research before operationalization of CNG initiative in Nigeria.
He declared that based on investigations conducted by his ministry in collaboration with the Presidential Committee, all the CNG converted vehicles that had exploded were not converted from certified centres.
“CNG has come to stay in Nigeria, those vehicles that exploded were not converted at the certified centres, but by road side technicians”, he said.
On the N903 million capital vote for the Ministry in 2025 Senator, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri informed the Senator Agom Jarigbe led committee that the projection is small because the ministry dwells more on policy formulation and not contracts execution.
