The Centre for Human Resource and Development(CHRD), has lamented poor implementation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) project in northern part of the country.
The group implored the Federal Government to probe the near absence of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the region.
A joint statement signed by CHRD Coordinator, and Secretary, Mr.Kola Sami’u and Yusufu Garba, respectively, noted that the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (Pi-CNG) was launched about a year ago.
The group claims that its investigations by this centre have shown that the private firms engaged by the federal government to convey CNG to the north are either not qualified or are ill-prepared to handle this humongous project.
It added:”Currently, CNG is almost non-existence in nearly all the northern states including Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Borno, Niger, etc. The CNG centres under construction in the north are taking too long to take up.
“Comparatively, other private firms engaged by the federal government to deliver Compressed Natural Gas in the south are handling the project. We can boastfully say that CNG is almost a success in the region.”
The statement said : ” The Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu unveiled the initiative as a strategic response to ease pressure on the demand for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) consumption following the removal of fuel subsidies and it received substantial government and private investments.
“Based on this, we unequivocally call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas to, as a matter of urgency investigative this menace as it is fast becoming bane to social development in the north.”
The group added that failure to address this issue will further fling the region into a deeper economic crisis, thereby giving the government a bad name.