To demonstrate his administration’s commitment towards charting a broader vision to position Benue as a hub of energy innovation, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth, the Benue State Government has commenced the process of establishing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Conversion Centres within the state.
The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia disclosed this Monday at IBB Square during the opening ceremony of the Benue State Natural Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) Stakeholders Consultative Forum 2024.
The Governor who described the event as a positive step in the transformation journey of unlocking Benue State’s vast energy potentials, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, leadership of the Natural Gas Expansion Programme as well as the Presidential CNG Initiative teams over the pioneering efforts in positioning Nigeria for a cleaner, more sustainable energy saying their efforts have opened remarkable opportunities for states like Benue.
“These initiatives including the provision of conversion kits and gas cylinders as support for adopting CNG are a testament to the government’s commitment to a greener and more inclusive energy future”, the Governor stated.
While calling on investors to collaborate on those initiatives to simplify the adoption of cleaner energy solutions towards lowering cost of transportation, Governor Alia further appealed for the inclusion of Benue State in the programme’s intervention plans to strengthen the state’s participation in the Natural Gas Expansion Programme.
“I specifically seek the provision of five thousand (5,000) vehicle conversion kits to accelerate the transition to CNG power transport and additionally request fifty (50) CNG buses and two hundred (200) tricycles to enhance accessibility to cleaner transportation options for the people”, the Governor maintained, even as he called for strategic investment in expanding the network of gas filling stations to ensure consistent availability and usability of CNG thereby fostering long term adoption and sustainability within Benue’s energy eco-system.
Also speaking, Nigeria’s Minister for Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim said the transition to cleaner energy is no longer optional but a necessity for humanity’s survival and progress.
“For women particularly, it is an opportunity to break the barriers, access economic opportunities and improve the quality of life”, the Minister emphasized, assuring of her ministry’s readiness to key into the programme.
Declaring the event open, Nigeria’s Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima who was represented by Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs in the Office of the Vice President, Tope Fashua, said the programme signals a diversification of Benue State and Nigeria’s economy particularly as it concerns sources of energy and electricity in a fast changing world driven by innovation, knowledge, information and technology especially with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
The Vice President therefore expressed hope that the event provides an avenue for leveraging Benue State’s energy potentials for economic growth with the focus on providing alternative energy solutions for power generation and transportation for the benefits of communities within the state and beyond.
A major highlight of the event was the distribution of free gas-filled cylinders to women who were selected through a raffle draw.
The five-day Consultative Forum features insightful lectures, training workshops and exhibitions showcasing innovative energy solutions and investment opportunities in Benue State.
