House of Representatives member Ademorin Kuye has commended the Federal Government over the deployment of 37 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to convey federal civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He said the intervention came at a critical time when the high cost of transportation has for months constituted burdens on the take home pay of workers, with fuel dependent transit fares in Abuja consuming a disproportionate share of monthly earnings for junior and mid-level officers.
He said in a statement that ‘by providing a subsidised, low-emission mass transit option, the Federal Government has taken a concrete, measurable step toward cushioning the effect of the removal of the petrol subsidy on the ordinary worker.’
Kuye, who represents Somolu Constituency, urged governors to replicate at the state level.
Other benefits include: ‘Direct Relief on Disposable Income: Civil servants who previously spent almost 70% of their salaries on daily commuting now retain more of their earnings for food, rent, and family upkeep.
‘Reduced Pressure on Fuel Demand: CNG-powered buses reduce dependence on premium motor spirit (PMS), easing pressure on an already strained supply chain and insulating commuters from the volatility of pump prices.
‘Environmental and Public Health Gains: CNG combustion produces significantly lower emissions than petrol or diesel, offering long-term air quality benefits for Abuja’s congested transport corridors.
‘A Practical, Scalable Model of Palliative Support and intervention: Unlike one-off cash transfers, a functioning transit scheme offers recurring, sustainable relief and can be expanded as more buses and conversion infrastructure come on stream.
‘Restoration of Public Confidence: It demonstrates that government can translate policy pronouncements on subsidy removal palliatives into visible, functional outcomes that citizens can see and use.’
Kuye said: ‘While this is a commendable first step as , thirty-seven buses cannot meet the transportation needs of the federal workforce in Abuja alone, let alone the millions of state and local government employees across the federation who face the same cost-of-living pressures.
‘I therefore, call on State Governors and their Heads of Service to urgently emulate this initiative.’
The lawmaker said they can do this by procuring or converting bus fleets to CNG for the conveyance of state civil servants and particularly in state capitals with large civil service populations and partnering with the Presidential CNG Initiative and private sector operators to access conversion kits, low-interest financing, and technical support already available at the federal level.’
Kuye added: ‘The welfare of the Nigerian public servant, federal or States, should not depend on which tier of government employs them.
‘States that move quickly to replicate this initiative will not only ease the cost-of-living burden on their workers but will also demonstrate the kind of responsive governance that the moment demands.
‘I urge the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the PCNGI to expand this scheme rapidly, and I call on my colleagues in the State Houses of Assembly to press their respective executives to act without delay.’