The Federal Government of Nigeria has reiterated the safety use of the Compressed Natural Gas CNG powered vehicles in the country.
The assurance is coming on the heels of the phase-out plan by Malaysian Government of the use CNG-powered vehicles in the country.
Recall that the Compressed Natural Gas-powered vehicles was recently introduced in Nigeria as an alternative to petrol-powered cars.
Responding to reports on Malaysia’s plan to phase out CNG-powered vehicles by 2025, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed fears on the safety of the use of the CNG-powered vehicles.
Writing in a post on X on Thursday, Onanuga gave assurance of the safety of the CNG-powered vehicles.
The Malaysian Government has announced plans to phase out CNG-vehicles and end the sale of natural gas vehicles by July 2025.
The report was contained in a local media source, Free Malaysia Today. It quoted the Malaysia’s Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, to have made the announcement at a press conference on Monday.
“He explained that the decision was intended to protect road users and the public from the potential hazards posed by ageing CNG tanks.
Loke was quoted as saying: “These NGV tanks have a safe usage lifespan of approximately 15 years. And if they are not replaced, they become unsafe to use and may fail at any time.”
“From July 1, 2025, CNG-powered vehicles will no longer be registered or allowed to operate in Malaysia,” the Minister said.
However, to allay the fears the announcement generated in Nigeria, Onanuga clarified on the announcement.
“The Malaysia’s policy was focused on the safety of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) not CNG.” he said.
Onanuga added that Nigeria chose CNG specifically for its safety and cost-effectiveness.
The Presidential media aide noted that plans underway to develop domestic tank manufacturing capacity.
The post read: “Some clarification on Malaysia’s plan to phase out CNG-powered vehicles:
“The Malaysian issue relates to the safety of LPG, NOT CNG. In the original report, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated, ‘There are also some car owners who have modified their vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which are very dangerous.’
“NGV covers both CNG and LPG. Nigeria, in its transition, has adopted CNG ONLY, not both. Due to valid safety and cost concerns regarding LPG.”
“Malaysia’s programme for CNG-powered vehicles struggled, achieving only a 0.2% conversion rate over 15 years. By contrast, nations like India, China, Iran, and Egypt have seen considerable success.”
“Malaysia faced difficulties in replacing 15-year-old tanks due to limited manufacturing capacity. While Nigeria, in its first year of adopting CNG, is already addressing this,” He added.
source: The Nation
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