CIOTA President endorses presidential initiative on CNG vehicles, calls for custom duty reduction
CITIZENS COMPASS –Prince Segun Ochuko Obayendo, FinsTA, President of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIoTA), on Wednesday, thrown his weight behind the declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, that all government offices should procure Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement event in Ikeja, Lagos, hosted by the Presidential Initiative on CNG, Prince Obayendo emphasized the need for a 70% reduction in custom duty on imported CNG vehicles to drive acceptability and saturation in the country.
He noted that as long as CNG vehicles are competing with diesel and petrol vehicles in terms of custom duty, Nigerians will remain reluctant to adopt the new technology. Prince Obayendo also highlighted the potential for converting existing petrol engine vehicles to CNG, and assured that CIoTA is fully behind the initiative and ready to provide the necessary skills to convert diesel and petrol engines to CNG compliance.
The event was attended by key stakeholders, including the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Standard Motor Mechanics and Technicians Association – the end-users of the initiative.
