Bill to encourage purchase of gas-powered vehicles scales second reading

A bill for an act to amend the National Automotive Council Act, 2004, on Thursday, scaled the second reading at the house of representatives.

The bill seeks to introduce a new alternative vehicular transportation to utilise Nigerian gas.

It also seeks to tap into the nation’s gas master plan which to end Nigeria’s “wasteful” gas flaring culture.

Igariwey Enwo, sponsor of the bill, who is from Ebonyi state, said the bill will drive economic growth through gas “and not necessarily oil”.

He said the bill will achieve this by deploying the country’s huge gas resources to the transport sector as compressed natural gas which will, in turn, be used to power both heavy duty and other forms of vehicles in the country.

According to him, data from the department of petroleum resources shows that the nation has lost about N523 billion worth of revenue from the volume of gas flared between 2015 and 2016.

He said the bill is also relevant because many countries of the world have set targets as to when they will ban vehicles using conventional petrol and diesel.

Enwo said: “This bill seeks to amend the National Automotive Council Act by providing a framework to encourage Nigerian entrepreneurs and vehicle manufacturers to invest in natural gas refuelling infrastructure as well as the production and purchase of natural gas-powered vehicles and trucks.

“It will help create a road map for Nigeria to join the comity of nations in exploring a sustainable option for a cleaner, safer and cheaper energy.”