Presidential C’mttee moves to train soldiers on gas- powered vehicles
PCommittee on Natural Gas Initiative ( P- CNG) has moved to train 11 soldiers of the Nigerian Army Corp Supply and Logistics, Bony Camp in its pilot programme of conversation of the use of Petroleum Motor Spirit ( PMS) to natural gas in vehicles. Speaking in Lagos, programme Director of the initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi said the programme was aimed at reducing over dependence on PMS, adding that Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural gas, which is not well utilised with quantum of it being flared. He noted that the country will be better off with the initiative if it comes to full force.
“First, I want to thank the Nigerian army for taking the lead in this important initiative by becoming the first national institution to take all the tasks of doing the conversion in line with the Presidential vision of energy transition in the transport sector.
“I think they deserve commendation. The Nigerian army leads, others follow, rightly so because it is a unique institution that predates Nigeria itself. But more importantly, it’s roles in national transformation.
“For us at the P- CNG initiative, it is good thing to collaborate with the Nigeria army as we seek to move Nigeria forward with respect to energy needs in the transport sector,” Oluwagbemi said.
And why is it so, the president and Commander in chief of the armed forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said, recognises the most important needs of the country which is security.
According to him, energy security being part of the overall security must consider three factors: firstly the availability, affordability and accessibility.
Any of these three factors, he noted, has power above PMS and diesel in Nigeria energy needs.
He said gas is widely available in 30 of the country’s 36 states .
“Gas is so much that Nigeria wastes it, we are the second gas flaring country in the world after Russia. With the enormous gas in the country, availability is not a problem.
“We have enough gas to sustain us. Gas is a natural tool for national survival. The President recognises this core resource, the reason he asks us to do what we are doing towards moving the nation forward and accelerate national development.
“The template set out for this energy transition in the transportation sector from PMS, diesel to gas. The framework is long as it requires Nigeria to fully transit. However, the president has set out a four year term. By 2027, a million vehicles in Nigeria should be running on CNG and provision to actualise this has been emplaced,” he explained. Earlier, the Army Corps Commander of the Nigerian Army Corps, Supply and transport, Major- General A. A. Olayinka said the approval to use the army for a start came from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General T. A Lagbaja.
He said: “We have 11 officers that will be trained for two weeks under the direction of Chief of Army Staff, who has directed the Corps Supply and transport, electrical and mechanical engineer partnership with PCNGI to ensure that they will transfer this technology to the army to ensure that we are able to use this technology to improve our operational efficiency.
“We are able to do more with less, and also more importantly we are able to conduct our activities in an environmentally safe and secure environment.”