Afrigather 
The Federal Authorities says it would cease granting licences to fuel firms with no capability to construct pipelines for fuel distribution.
This, the federal government stated, grew to become essential to discourage the transportation of compressed pure fuel by the roads.
The Minister of State for Petroleum (Fuel), Ekperikpe Ekpo, made this disclosure when he was in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Wednesday.
Ekpo had visited Abeokuta for an on-the-spot evaluation of Saturday’s CNG explosion at Ita Oshin.
A CNG fuel truck owned by Gasco Marine had suffered a brake failure, rammed into the highway barricade and went up in flames, killing one particular person and razing some automobiles.
Ekpo, who was obtained into the state by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said that he was despatched by President Bola Tinubu to see to the basis reason behind the incident and sympathise with the individuals of Ogun State.
Whereas saying the nation should transit from fossil gasoline to CNG, Ekpo revealed that he had directed the Chief Govt of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, to not situation licenses to anybody who couldn’t pipe CNG to the top customers.
The fuel minister emphasised that there was the necessity to cease digital fuel transportation, saying the Federal Authorities was placing efforts in prime gear to construct pipelines for seamless transportation of CNG.
In line with him, this is able to forestall explosions on the highway, whereas saving lives and property.
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“Because the Federal Authorities, we are attempting all that we will to make sure we scale back digital transportation of fuel due to the volatility of it, particularly with the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano pipeline.
“I’ve directed the authority chief govt that for any additional issuance of licence, the corporate needs to be competent sufficient to pipe it to their finish customers in order that we’re not uncovered to this type of hazard any longer.
”As a ministry, we’re how we will scale back a variety of digital conveyance of fuel. That’s the reason we’re placing a lot in growing the fuel pipeline infrastructure in order that the transportation wouldn’t be digital, however slightly by the pipelines. This may scale back this type of incident and take off the stress on our roads,” he stated.
Ekpo harassed that regardless of the incident, CNG stays a greater various to petrol, urging Nigerians to not be discouraged.
“That is higher than even gasoline when you take a look at what occurred in Port Harcourt the place lives have been misplaced and so many automobiles burnt. It’s higher we go this route,” he added.
Ekpo harped on the significance of firms utilizing solely high quality cylinders for the distribution of fuel to keep away from incidents.
Talking, the NMDPRA boss, Ahmed, assured Nigerians that the company was working with the Normal Organisation of Nigeria and the Federal Highway Security Corps to forestall comparable explosions on the highway.
Ahmed maintained that a number of the accidents happen as a result of roadworthiness of the car.
He added that coaching programmes are being organised for truck drivers to make sure security on the highway.
Responding, Abiodun appreciated the group and President Tinubu for reaching out to the state, promising to additional undertake and promote the CNG initiative of the Federal Authorities.
