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The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPMAN) has announced plans to donate Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) compliant buses worth N10 billion.
Chairperson of DAPMAN, Winifred Akpani, revealed this during a briefing with State House Correspondents after leading a delegation to the State House for a courtesy visit with President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.
“We did pledge that we are going to work at providing real mass transit buses that work. The ones that will work on the compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel interchangeably and hopefully we are going to start with about 50-100 and that is in a very short time,” she said.
The donation comes against the backdrop of the recent removal of fuel subsidy, and it is intended to provide employment opportunities and support the government’s efforts to improve the country’s transportation infrastructure.
The DAPMAN Chairperson emphasized: “These are locally produced vehicles, so we are also providing jobs by using local assembly plants. By not importing the buses, we are reducing pressure on our foreign exchange reserves and creating more jobs for Nigerians”.
She also expressed President Tinubu’s satisfaction with the initiative and optimism that Nigerians would soon recognize the benefits of removing the subsidy on petrol, while urging citizens to support the President’s direction to propel the country forward.
Confirming the details, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, announced that each bus would cost N100 million and accommodate up to 50 passengers.
Governor Abiodun dispelled notions that petroleum marketers opposed the deregulation of petrol, stating, “This singular step demonstrates their support for this administration’s laudable policy of deregulation.”
He further called on other members of the organized private sector, such as the Bankers Committee, to emulate DAPMAN’s benevolent gesture and take additional measures to alleviate the impact of subsidy removal on Nigerians.