As the Nigerian government has emphasized the significance of expanding Nigeria’s energy options to include Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Federal Government has given kudos to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company (IVM), Nnewi, Anambra State for supporting the aspirations of President Bola Tinubu in that direction.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo during a visit Thursday to the vehicle manufacturing plant in Nnewi, said with what he saw at the company, that President Tinubu would be very happy with the IVM for keying into the aspirations of his administration.
“About a week ago, I received an invitation from the IVM to come and take a tour of the facility of the company because CNG is involved and that’s the desire of Mr President that vehicles in Nigeria should be using CNG and that’s why I come to see things for myself.
“Mr President will be so happy to learn that a citizen of this country is developing this to catch up with his own aspirations of the CNG to cut spending regarding using fuel or petroleum in the vehicles.
“The CNG is clean and easy to maintain. When we entered a CNG luxury bus produced by the IVM, the Chairman, Dr Innocent Chukwuma took me to observe the exhaust pipe which is very clean and nothing comes out of it.
“This is what we must really appreciate. I’m very happy to see what I have seen and I give Innoson kudos for identifying with Mr President in that aspect, like we say gas to prosperity. I’m happy, “the Minister said.
He disclosed that Mr President during the last executive council meeting talked about the use of the CNG vehicles in the country.
He said he had directed all the ministries and parastatals to take advantage of that.
The Minister said that Nigeria had been lucky to have someone in the country who had been making the country proud in that regard.
He promised that when he returned to Abuja that he would brief Mr President on what he saw and experienced in Nnewi, adding that it would then be left with President Tinubu to take a decision on the direction to go.
“Recall that there’s a presidential committee on CNG. I will sit down with them and talk about the issue because we are looking at how to cut cost and reduce expenses. This will add value to the development of this country. So, it should be patronized in all angles and I believe that Mr President will support such an aspiration.
“Nigerians should patronize IVM vehicles especially in the area of CNG. That’s the way to go. Nigerians should embrace it, it is cheaper, cleaner and safer, “the Minister added.
Appreciating the ministerial visit, Dr Chukwuma said he had hope that things would get better.
“We have confidence in President Tinubu and he knows how to handle situations. He is an expert, he has done it in Lagos State.
“All these things we do is to make efforts to support him so that government can make Nigeria great. I’m building this factory now, talking about the giant IVM extension at Umuezena, Nnewi, and Mr President will soon come and commission it. He has seen the benefit of the CNG and all of us will give him the needed cooperation by producing vehicles using CNG so that the masses can use that for ease of transportation. This new factory is specially set aside to produce CNG and electric vehicles. This will be ready in few a months time, “Dr Chukwuma disclosed.
