LAGOS (SUNDIATA POST)- The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has deployed more Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered tricycles to Ifako-Ijaiye community in Lagos State to reduce transportation costs.
The unveiling of the CNG-powered tricycles took place at Fagba Motor Park on Tuesday.
Alhaji Azeez Istijabah, Zonal Chairman, Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN), under NURTW, said the deployment was part of the gradual process to circulate the tricycles across the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NURTW recently deployed 3,000 CNG commercial tricycles to Alimosho Local Government Area.
According to him, the new development has brought tremendous reduction in transportation costs at various CNG tricycle operation parks in the state.
“With this introduction of CNG commercial tricycles in some of our parks, it has brought reduction to the present high cost of transportation in Alagbado, Abule, Command and Ayobo areas of the state.
“That is why we are appealing to our members to embrace the new tricycles for efficiency and to save cost of operations.
“It will just cost N2,000 to 2,800 for a daily operational cost to fill the gas compared with N13,000 to N15,000 petrol daily operational cost.
“We are working on it to circulate the tricycles across the state for the benefit of the masses,” Istijabah said.
He added that efforts were in place to sensitise the operators on usage of CNG tricycles.
Istijabah said that hundreds of members within the union zone would benefit from the initiative to ensure operational relief and cut cost of transportation in the community.
“We are working tirelessly with the support of President Bola Tinubu, who initiated CNG usage and our state NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Sego, on their efforts in relieving the masses from transportation stress in the state.
“At the same time, we are appealing to both federal and the state government to create more CNG filling depot for easy access to operators,” he said.
According to him, tricycles are prohibited to operate in the Agidingbi area of the state, where the CNG refilling station is situated.
“So, that is why we are calling on government to find a lasting solution to this situation, for the benefits of the masses,” he said.
Mr Raimi Oseni, Deputy Zonal Chairman, TOOAN of NURTW Zone C, also told NAN that the new development would improve transport business and encourage operators.
Oseni added that the new and cheaper CNG initiatives by the federal government would bring succour to transporters and commuters.
He appealed to the federal government and Lagos state government to create easy-access refilling depots for commercial tricycles using CNG.
“We want the government to create easy access for us to enable us refill our tricycles with ease. At the same time, we have also instructed our members to reduce the fare as CNG operations begin,” Oseni said. (NAN)
