CNG: FG, transporters begin 40% fare reduction for Abuja commuters
The Federal Government in partnership with transporters has commenced the implementation of 40 percent fare reduction for commuters in Abuja following the installation of compressed natural gas systems on taxis originating from Area 1 motor park to other parts of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Data from the Presidential CNG Initiative showed that fares from Area 1 park to Gwagwalada dropped from N1,500 to N900 while fares from Area 1 to Jabi dropped from N700 to N420.
The government disclosed that over 50% of taxis in Abuja have been converted to CNG fuel.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday, the Programme Director, PCNGI, Engr Michael Oluwagbemi said the agreement reached with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, has begun to yield results.
The PCNGI had in September last year provided 300 CNG kits to the NURTW leadership free of charge for the conversion of Abuja taxis.
Represented by the Regional CNG Expansion Coordinator in charge of the North, David Idakwo, Oluwagbemi explained that the 40% reduction In transportation fares applies to routes serviced by vehicles converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
According to him, “What we agreed with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, they have given us the prices, the fare amount from Area 1 to different destinations when they were running on petrol and we have come together, made an analysis and achieved a 40 percent reduction in the fare, in the transportation from Area 1 to all other destinations.
“What I have here on my paper, Area 1 to Gwagwalada when they were on fuel was going for 1,500 Naira, we have been able to reduce it to 900. Area 1 to Bwari Duste is also 1,500, which has also been reduced to 900. Area 1 to Kuje when they were running on petrol is 1,200, that also has been reduced to 720 Naira. Area 1 to Galadimawa was N500, but it has been reduced to N300. Area 1 to Mpape was N1,000, which has been reduced to N600. Area 1 to Zuba is 1,500 and that also has been reduced to 900 Naira. Area 1 to Lugbe was N700 before now, it is now N420. Area 1 to Jabi is 700, it has also been reduced to N420.
He stressed that with over half of the taxis in the nation’s capital converted to CNG usage, the target is to have all taxis running on CNG which would lead to a crash in the cost of transportation in the city.
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“So I can authoritatively tell you that we have converted over 50 percent of their vehicles and like I said we are doing this in conjunction with leadership and they are here, they are seeing us, they can confirm these figures and the conversion is still a continuous process. It’s not like we are done yet but we will continue. Even right here, we still have our members here taking records of those cars that are yet to be converted and the conversion will continue”, he stated.
Oluwagbemi said the government would ensure full compliance to the fare reduction agreement in collaboration with NURTW by sending out mystery shoppers pretending to be commuters along all the designated routes to fish out cheating drivers and report them.
He said that a sticker has been placed on each of the vehicles for easy identification, advising commuters to always look out for the sticker before boarding to enjoy the benefits of the initiative.
In his remarks, Ibrahim Jubril, Secretary Garki Branch of NURTW, said the union has been working with PCNGI since the programme was launched, stressing that it was all part of efforts of the President to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians with regard to movement from one point to the other.
“As it stands today, a lot of our vehicles have been converted and the conversion is ongoing. When we noticed that the majority of our vehicles have been converted, we put a taskforce in place to ensure price reduction for the ones that have been converted,” he said.
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