FG alerted over ‘ineffectiveness of CNG initiative in the North’

An organisation under the auspices of the Development and Safety Professional Association (DSPA) has alerted the Federal Government to alleged foul play regarding the ineffectiveness and non-availability of CNG operations in major parts of the North, describing it as a move aimed at discrediting the good intentions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Making this known during an event, the regional coordinator of the group, Engr. Bukar Hashimu-Goni, said: “The CNG initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been a noble and commendable policy which seeks to, among other things, alleviate the pressure of subsidy removal on the masses, but this effort is rather being subverted by those who should amplify it.”

He however added that, “We have watched how other private firms, engaged by the Federal Government, are professionally handling the project in other parts of the country, same cannot be said about Rolling Energy, which is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the success of the CNG in northern Nigeria.”

According to him, “as a professional association, since the take-off of the CNG initiative, we had patiently tracked, monitored and assessed all private firms engaged by the Federal Government,” adding that Rolling Energy seems to be the least qualified and ill-prepared for such a massive project.

“Their presence is not visible across Maiduguri and other parts of the region. For instance, all their three sites in Maiduguri are not completed and has no realistic timeframe for its takeoff,” he said.

Buttressing his point, he said:
“In Kano, the most populous city and commercial nerve centre, which is crucial to northern Nigeria’s development, Rolling Energy has no presence.”

He also added that, “In Kaduna, the story is the same. The much touted facility in Kwara is such a small site with insignificant input compared to the size and magnitude of CNG demand.”

Speaking in the same vein, the association’s Technical Director, Architect Mansur Walid, said: “We unequivocally appeal to the President, the NSA, and other security agencies to beam their searchlight on the activities of Rolling Energy, whose majority management are Indians.

“We suspect foul play and deliberate sabotage both in terms of the CNG initiative and even broader national security.”

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Mr Walid therefore emphasised that, “the fact that other firms are doing well in some parts of the country, especially southern Nigeria, why then is Rolling Energy unable to effectively take off in northern Nigeria? That speaks volume.”

According to him, “It doesn’t need any rocket science to know there is a foul play aimed at discrediting the good intentions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

Different speakers during the roundtable expressed their displeasure over the slow pace of the CNG policy across Maiduguri and other parts of northern Nigeria.

The majority actually passed a vote of no confidence and questioned the level of preparedness and professionalism of Rolling Energy.

They then called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, revoke the operating licence of Rolling Energy and bring on board a more competent firm, in order to fast-track the spread of its CNG initiative, especially in northern Nigeria.

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