Enugu Sets Up CNG Centres, Creates New Ministry For Energy To Drive Investments In Sector

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Rising from its Executive Council meeting on Friday, September 27, 2024, the Enugu State Government announced that it has kick-started the process that will lead to the establishment of Compressed Natural Gas Conversion Centres across the State to ease the difficulties created by the removal of petroleum products subsidies .

This is just as it informed that a new Ministry for Energy and Mineral Resources has been created to drive investment in the sector.

The State Commissioner for Transport, Dr Obi Ozor, while addressing the Media, also noted that the Government is set to purchase new buses, with a view to supporting the private sector, in investment in the transport sector.

According to him, the primary aim of establishing the CNG conversion centres is to lower the demand for Premium Motor Spirit( fuel) which cost has gone up astronomically due to the removal of subsidy.

He expressed the hope that the conversion to CNG buses and others will lead to the reduction in transportation cost for commuters and the movements of goods and services.

Dr Ozor stated that the Enugu State Government is very much conscious of the imperativeness for the people to  migrate  from PMS to CNG, as it substantially reduce the burden of high cost of transportation by at least half.

“These initiatives aim to establish a safe affordable and sustainable transportation system in Enugu.

By embracing the CNG, the State is creating a favourable environment to attract investors and has partnered with Greenville Energy in this wise”, the Transport Commissioner noted.

He, therefore, called on vehicle owners across the State who are interested in migrating from the use of petrol to the CNG to register with the Ministry of Transport.

He also informed that efforts are ongoing, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Transport, to procure the CNG conversion kits.

The Secretary to the State Government SSG, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, also while speaking, said the new Ministry will serve to regulate and supervise activities within the energy and mineral resources sectors ,which   he noted Enugu is abundantly endowed with .

He stated that the State Government, before now, had passed and signed into law the Enugu State Electricity Law which among other things, provides for the setting up of a regulatory agency that will supervise activities in the energy sector.

“The Government decided at today’s Executive Council meeting to create the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources ,with the mandate to oversee investment opportunities within our Solid Mineral resources .

“This initiative will also stimulate investment in renewable energy and coal-to-power projects.The new Ministry will take effect immediately, and we will begin the process of setting up its office”, the SSG noted.