By Henry Uche
Governor Dapo Abiodun, on a monitored Interview on Channels TV, spoke on the state of the nation, among other burning issues.
We saw you riding an electric CNG bike
Yes it’s true. I was actually riding a CNG electric bike. But let’s take a step back sometime last year, precisely October 23, 2023. We launched our CNG mass transit bus programme, which was basically the launch of the conversion of all our state owned buses. They are actual buses to be fueled with compressed natural gas. Let me admit that this was because we knew that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was going to deregulate. And this was the posture that all the presidential candidates when they were jostling and asking for votes, every single one of them had made up their minds to deregulate. The state government as a responsible one, we had to look in that direction. And we started that programme willfully well that as soon as that deregulation becomes real, it would affect the cost of transportation of people, of goods and services and food items. So, what we did in October, was to actualize and domesticate a renewed hope initiative to begin to cushion the effects of subsidy removal that was feasible. And yesterday was the implementation of phase two, which is our immobility launch, which showcased electric motorbikes, electric tricycles, CNG Tricycles and electric vehicle. So, you saw me yes, I rode, I used to ride bike in the days when I was in your age, and these are things that you don’t forget. But more importantly, what we strive to achieve is to reduce drastically the cost of transportation, because when you do regulate, and particularly at this period in time, find out people are agitating about food prices, which is causing inflation. I recall earlier on today, someone gave an example that he bought yam at a particular price.
So, this is what we set out to achieve. And I will say that we have been very successful in achieving our objective. It has not actually crushed the cost of transportation between, Abeokuta and between Ogun State and Lagos. So, we actually forced down the prices of the mini buses, transporting people from that from that corridor of Mowe Ibafor, all the way to Lagos. Now, let me give you an example. So, you can properly understand the impact of what we did yesterday. We launched the e-bikes as we call them, and those e -bikes do not have any engines, they don’t need to be serviced. All they have is a battery; that’s practically noiseless and emission is zero.
It means that we cannot beat our chests and say that we are not polluting. We are not ignorant of the environmental impacts. Now, we are now ready to drastically reduce the cost of transportation which is a very popular means of transporting our people around here and around the nooks and crannies of our state. About 45 percent. These e- bikes, all you need is to have their batteries. Once the bike is charged, it will power that bike for about 75 to 80 kilometers on a single charge. And we have swap stations that are strategically located around Ogun State now, it will take approximately two to three minutes for a cyclist to drive the bike to see if the battery is charged well.
Thereby creating another small or medium scale enterprise for those who can explore it. So, in one breath, we are reducing cost of transportation and we need to impact. In another breath, we are reducing pollution and also by so doing, we created another small economy for those who will be involved. For example, we also launched yesterday, a particular CNG powered tricycle, a tricycle powered by petrol. We traveled about 120 kilometers that would cost about N14,000. Where we lodged yesterday, we traveled on the same distance on CNG that will cost N1,900, So like I said, all we have done in Ogun State is to domesticate the Tinubu initiative, which seeks to ensure that regardless of the fact that there’s been deregulation, this would provide the cushion effect that is required to reduce the cost of transportation among other challenges.
Are you the only one who got the funding for the CNG or the alternative transport scheme?
I think perhaps because we have peculiar peculiarities among different states. I am the gateway to the rest of the country. I am the closest state to the financial capital of Nigeria, I’m the industrial capital of Nigeria. I also enjoy one advantage. I have the advantage of having large amount of gas in my status. A pipeline passed through my state and so many others. And that is what explains the proliferation of industries in my state because we have gas and gas is used for power. So for me, I saw that advantage and I took advantage of that. It was not because there was any special funding. We have not been given any special funding by the Federal Government, that’s very clear. It’s not because the nature of my state, the size of my state, the proximity to Lagos, the fact that we are the gateway state, I realized that it is important for me to immediately cash in on the initiatives and provide an alternative means of transportation that will cushion the effect of deregulation, which when Asiwaju came, he said he would do a reversal of this monster that was consuming almost N500 to N600 billion a month, that was as at then.
There were reports that the Federal Government was going to give about almost N10 billion to each state for the CNG buses for mass transit to reduce the transportation cost; are you saying that, that money has not been disbursed yet?
The problem we have as Nigerians is that we’re very impatient. From the announcement of the policy to implementation of that policy takes a period of time. Now, in the case of the CNG initiative, there’s actually Presidential synergy team , and they have been working assiduously day and night to ensure that what we have done in Ogun State is replicated across the length and breadth of the country. Well, let me tell you, some of the intricacies, this is not like a COVID kits, where just one cap fits it all. So, it’s taking that much time to ensure that you have a system in place, which I know they’re working on like they did in Iran, where you have the kit for the kind of vehicles that are commonplace in Nigeria such that you log on, on their site, you put in your type model of vehicle and where you are, they allocate a time to you, you do the necessary things and then convert it. So, be rest assured that even though I’m not trying to speak for them, because I have the privilege of knowing what they are working on, and you can imagine what we’ve got in Ogun State, about 5 million people and they actually do nationwide, about a 190 million people. So, I’m sure that in another few months, we’ll begin to appreciate the amount of time, money, work and energy that is going to be introduced into the CNG initiative. We are working on it. And the President is particularly keen on ensuring that this key initiative will be successfully implemented. And I know that the person who came, they talked to the president directly because of the president’s interesting success of this programme.
Transport unions support, N50,000 support for each family, food inflation, etc
What I will say today to Nigerians broadly, is that the president is only in office for a year and about two months. It takes more than 15 months to reverse something that went wrong for a few years before his assumption of office. To support his words with certain principles and policies, as soon as he was inaugurated, he immediately began with these very audacious deliberate policies. These are policies that previous administrations were not able to implement, and these policies have been applauded by developmental banks, organizations all over the world. It will take time for the impact to begin to be felt by the common man. And he has promised, yesterday his minister expressed to all of us in Nigeria that Mr. President is aware of the issues and the current realities and he’s working assiduously to ensure that he lives up to the expectations of our people. And when you look at the steps he’s taking, immediately, he assumed office and he announced that deregulation was real and he was not going back on it, he immediately began to give out awards to all public servants. Only recently, he signed the minimum wage bill, that is a serious commitment, he bagun to implement students loan. When in the history of this country, have we seen students loan to tertiary institutions? Right now, they are implementing intervention schemes for the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable across the entire country with a minimum of about four hundred; my wards we have about 236 wards, and these things are ongoing. He’s giving out palliatives to us governors several times, because he understands that, yes, why he’s working on the monetary and fiscal policies that take time, people must have food on their table. Now, he has announced that he’s removing import restriction on selected items, and I know that this week the Minister of Agriculture said rice was beginning to be sold at N40,000. He has provided for Agric inputs, he provided for maize, corn, fertilizer, Sorghum, all within one year. What do we expect from a man who has a proven track of knowing what to do while in office? He was governor of Lagos for eight years, Lagos is bigger than so many African countries and you will agree with me that the current condition is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. The inflation is all over the world. So really, as much as I appreciate that our role as elected officers is to look out for the wellbeing and welfare of our people, Mr President is doing his utmost best, he’s deeply committed to it. And I believe that what we must do is to allow him time so that we can see the impact of these policies; the Naira has stabilized, and I’m sure that with the recent announcement of Mr. President’S intervention in the Dangote and the NNPC issue that was made to appear like a controversy when Mr. President said that henceforth, crude must be sold to the Dangote refinery and other refineries in naira. That’s someone who understands, having been the treasurer of one of the biggest companies in the world, that by doing this, you reduce the pressure on the foreign exchange demand, knowing that Nigeria’s foreign exchange is from oil and gas industry. So, you can imagine this transaction is now being conducted in naira, you will see that instant relief, the reduction in pressure from the demand for forex, by the oil and gas sector. And I’m sure that will further reduce the exchange rate and as that happens, you ever see the multiplier effect to the economy. But you know, the truth is that like in the case of a woman who is about to give birth she must go through a lot of pain, that is the reality, at the end, everybody’s happy. Let Nigerians give Mr President and all of us time. He’s mindful. His number one role is to provide food for people on the table of everyone. He has said severally, don’t pity me. I asked for this job. I campaigned for it. I spent money and invested to be president. And this is the only job I have. That’s my message to Nigeria.
High cost of governance, suffering and hardship.
Without a doubt, Tinubu Administration is a responsible one. This is the first time and I am glad that my brother who spoke with you earlier, Mr. Femi Falana alluded to some things even though I did not agree with some of the things he said today, but at least, there are some I agree to, which is a fact that, without saying the word that this government is a responsible one. This is the first time that there will be impending protests or civil disobedience and government would go all out to ensure that it engages with diverse groups. Explain to them what government is doing, what government has done, our government tends to do and by so doing, with moral suasion, without forcing anybody, different groups began to come out disassociating themselves from the protests, that clearly indicates and confirmed that this administration is one that is responsive to the needs of the people. So, I don’t think that I need to say any further than that, but everything, the voices, the cries of our people have been heard to the local government, to the state governments and to the central government and we are all working together. Last week when Mr. President, we’re all working together. So, I want to believe that people, cost of governance, we hear you. Mr president made an announcement and said, Nigerians should ensure that public servants they buy locally made vehicles and the vehicles must be powered by CNG. This is the first time we have a president who has his fingers on the button, he feels the pulse of our people. I’m involved. There are opportunities that abound in that sector, people will be investing.
Some Nigerians don’t believe in the Bola Tinubu project, what would you tell them?
Majority of Nigerians voted for President Bola Tinubu.
No, majority of Nigerians didn’t vote for Bola Tinubu, the figures didn’t say so, it’s one of the lowest margins among other previous elections we had
But he won the election
Yes, but the margin of victory compared with other several other elections is one of the lowest that we’re seeing. It was a clearly contested election.
I know but he majorly won that election and those that wanted him to be president were far more than those who never wanted him to be president. The problem we have today is that Nigerians are sour losers; if you want a regime change, then wait for 2027. Don’t begin to sponsor faceless leaderless protests under the guise that you’re dissatisfied. Like I said, the sad reality is not particular to Nigeria alone. There are protests in Ghana, in UK, so what are you talking about? Like I said, the medicine for headache is not cut off the head. We should work together, speak to each other and let us have a dialogue that is constructive, where we have a responsible administration in place.
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