Emission control: Ogun to introduce gas-enabled vehicles

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration says plans are underway to convert vehicles running on petrol to gas, as part of moves to reduce carbon emission.

Abiodun dropped the hint at an interactive meeting with transport union members from Ogun Central, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, at the weekend.

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According to the governor, the conversion project, christened ‘Ogun Going Green Project’, is necessitated by the hazard posed to the environment by carbon emissions.

He said: “It is no news that Ogun State enjoys the crisscross of gas pipelines coming from the delta and going to neighbouring countries. That is why we have a proliferation of industries in the state, and we have decided to take advantage of the network of gas pipelines.

“We want to start by ensuring that our vehicles utilise other sources of fuel that will reduce the amount of emissions, which is the largest contributor to global warming. So, we are starting with our transportation sector.

We are going to provide them with vehicles and, these vehicles and the ones they have would be converted through a pilot project.

“We will be using a combination of gas and fuel, but the fuel will only be used to start the vehicles and after that, the gas takes over.”

He stated further that the first set of kits for the project would arrive in the state in the next three weeks, adding that buses, trucks and taxis would be the first to benefit from the project, while motorcycles would be converted to electric ones.

In their remarks, the chairman, Ogun State Drivers Association, Akinwunmi Dauda, the state secretary, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria   (RTEAN), Tiwalade, Akingbade and the secretary, Ogun State Parks and Management, Haruna Adekujo, called for the construction of a world class park in the state capital, and addressing the issue of touts who harass their members on a daily basis.