BY UCHE CHUKWUMA
DELTA State Government has said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with NIPCO to set up Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations in Asaba and Warri. The government said that the construction work for the CNG stations was in progress
The Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Onoriode Agofure made this known in Asaba while commenting on the pace of work at the construction sites for the CNG stations in Asaba.
Agofure pointed out that NIPCO CNG station in Warri was at advanced stages of completion with equipment expected to be moved in before its inauguration.
The commissioner also said work was ongoing at the CNG site in Asaba and that he regularly visits the two sites for inspection to ensure that the gas company kept to the terms of the MOU.
He gave an assurance that NIPCO would deliver the CNG filling stations as expected
According to him, “It pleases me to inform you that work has commenced and is ongoing rapidly. I do visit the site once every week to follow up on the level of work that is being done.”
“I am very pleased with what I am seeing so far, I am very sure that they will meet the timeline that they gave.”
“As for the one in Warri, it is waiting equipment, and they have confirmed to me that it will be fully in operational next month,”
On the conversion of fuel-used vehicles to CNG vehicles, Agofure said, ‘’I do know that NIPCO is building a conversion center in the CNG filling station here in Asaba under construction. For that of Warri, I will find out if there is a conversion center.’’
‘’I will try as much as possible to see how we can even donate conversion kits to transporters and to people who actually need them. There will be criteria that will be met before that process begins.’’
‘’It is very expensive actually to convert a vehicle. It is about a million naira for the basic amount.’’
‘’When the time comes, I will see how we can access the 2025 budget votes for conversion to CNG vehicles for maybe civil servants and others’’.
The commissioner also disclosed that the state government had received 900 live jackets from the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
He hinted that the 900 live jackets were the first batch of the 3,500 live jackets being expected in the collaboration between Delta State Government and the Federal Government.
Mr Agofure said the second and third batches of the live jackets were expected next month. He described the collaboration as key to safety in the maritime sector.
He also urged users of waterways to be safety conscious to minimize the rate of casualties during boat mishaps.
