(SINL NIGERIA) The federal government has been urged to anchor the presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (Pi-CNG) policy on legislation.
This according to expert will ensure that the implementation process of the policy is consistent with the overarching energy transition plan of the country, and also ensure that the implementation process gets the necessary funding it requires from the government.
The Director General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar O. Sulaiman made this known on Wednesday at the annual legislative conference organized by the Hallowmace Foundation Africa (HAFA) held in Abuja.
Prof Sulaiman noted that when anchored on legislation, activities associated with the CNG policies can also be effectively oversighted to ensure that it is benefiting the people.
The 2024 National Legislative Conference, 6th edition in the series, drew participants from different sectors of the economy.
In a keynote address, the Director General of NILDS acknowledged that Pi-CNG policy is a component of the measures put in place by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration to provide relief to the masses occasioned by the transitive hardships of the fuel subsidy removal policy of the government, however emphasised that it must be anchored on legislation.
The theme of the conference “Legislative Pathways to a Sustainable Future: Enhancing Energy Security, Reducing Transportation Costs, and Lowering Carbon Emissions through the Compressed Natural Gas Policy”, Sulaiman said activities at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), which is the capacity-building and research institute of the National Assembly, have also centered on addressing these issues in the past few days.
“I am therefore gladdened to have this opportunity to reemphasize the need to address these issues.I must therefore commend the HallowMace Foundation for choosing this theme” he said.
He explained that the timeliness of the topic is a sure sign that the leadership of the HallowMace Foundation is in tune with happenings in the country and is committed to addressing them.
“The issues of high transport costs and lowering carbon emissions through the compressed natural gas policy of the federal government are critical at this important time in our nation’s history”.
He continued “Despite the good intentions of the reforms in our country, Nigerians are today paying higher prices for electricity, transportation, premium motor spirit, aviation fuel, diesel, and cooking gas. Our national electricity production relative to our population remains low compared to other African countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria”.
He bemoaned that years of huge public investment and change of management arrangement for the electricity industry have also not translated to desired outcomes.
“Although the transport sector has continued to record diversification gains, the cost of fueling remains high. Just as Nigerians have begun to celebrate the entry of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) into the nation’s energy mix, concerns of safety have been raised from many quarters amidst the relative high cost of conversion” Sulaiman added.
Additionally, he said the objective of the address, was to explore the issues around enhancing energy security, reducing transportation costs, and lowering carbon emissions through the CNG Policy in Nigeria.
Earlier, the convener of the conference, Amb. Anderson Osiebe in a welcome address, said the event will provide a robust platform for meaningful dialogue between the legislature, democratic institutions, stakeholders and the general public.
He said “HallowMace Foundation Africa (HAFA) is driven by a dual mandate that empowers us to fulfil our objectives and carry out our mission effectively.
“These two pillars are HallowMace Foundation Africa and HallowMace Communications.
“HAFA is dedicated to advocating for democracy, with a particular focus on strengthening legislative institutions.
“Our work revolves around promoting democratic consolidation in Nigeria and Africa through targeted advocacy, seminars, workshops, conferences and strategic engagements”.
Amb. Osiebe added that policies centred around energy security, cost-effective transportation and environmental stewardship must be at the forefront of legislative agenda, “as we continue to strive for a future that is economically sound and environmentally sustainable”.
The conference, according to the convener would provide a unique opportunity to explore how Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) can serve as a transformative tool in the quest for a more secure, cost-effective and environmentally conscious future.
