The Federal Government, through the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, has flagged off the distribution of 2000 CNG-Powered Tricycles to empower Nigerian youth.
The flag-off event, held at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja on Tuesday, was part of activities to commemorate the 64th anniversary of Nigeria’s Independence.
In his address, the Project Director of the Presidential Initiative on CNG, Michael Oluwagbemi, said the distribution of the tricycles marked the fulfilment of promises made by President Bola Tinubu to reduce the cost of transportation, enhance economic well-being, enhance the environment through the utilisation of clean fuel, and create jobs for the youth population, through the introduction of CNG.
He said the CNG tricycles were assembled in Shagamu, adding that it was expected that the delivery of the tricycles would create employment both in operations, maintenance, and deployments of the tricycles across Nigeria.
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“I’m pleased to announce to you that we are here to deliver on Mr President’s promise and to hand over 2,000 CNG-powered tricycles that will begin to form the bedrock of this revolution.
“These tricycles you see here are not just here to be used in Nigeria. They are also wholly assembled in Nigeria in a factory in Shagamu. Over 50 young people were trained in the last three weeks and are putting together these CNG tricycles, and many more of them are coming,” he said.
He noted that “beyond the tricycle assembly, we expect that with this delivery thousands of youths across our country will be employed not just in the operations of these tricycles, but also in the maintenance and efficient deployment of these tricycles across Nigeria.
“It represents a very small step towards delivering the future that is powered by gas that ensures Nigeria’s development, that transforms a resource that we are abundantly blessed with, that yet we waste today into something that creates wealth and jobs for all Nigerians.”
The Minister for Youth Development, Dr Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, noted that the tricycles would ease transportation challenges faced by transporters and citizens, commending the Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to improving the quality of life of the youth.
“These tricycles will go a long way in easing the transportation challenges faced by our transporters and citizens across the country. In this crucial time of economic reforms, this intervention will serve as a great relief to our people, demonstrating the administration’s dedication to the quality of life for young people”, she said.
She also highlighted how the National Youth Investment Fund would serve as a “financial backbone” for young investors to thrive in the transportation sector, even as the Ministry hoped to collaborate with the P-CNGi to reach its 2 million tricycles target.
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