10,000 Electric Tricycles, 300 Taxis, 10 Buses To Roll Out Across Six States
Daud Olatunji
The six governors in the North-East have unveiled plans to establish a regional air shuttle and expand Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas infrastructure as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs and improve the movement of people and goods across the subregion.
The decision was reached at the 13th meeting of the North-East Governors’ Forum held in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday.
The governors also disclosed plans to partner with Green Ville Energy for the construction and provision of additional CNG and LNG stations across the six states.
The states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
In a communiqué signed by the Chairman of the Forum and Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, the governors said the proposed regional air shuttle would strengthen connectivity among the states and facilitate inter- and intra-regional movement.
They said improved transportation and logistics were critical to accelerating economic activities and integrating the economies of the six states.
The Forum also acknowledged the support of the Federal Government, through the North-East Development Commission, for the provision of 10,000 electric tricycles, 300 electric taxis and 10 electric buses.
According to the governors, the vehicles are expected to be launched in October as part of measures to reduce the transportation burden on residents of the region.
The proposed air shuttle is expected to complement road transportation by providing another means of moving passengers and goods between major locations across the North-East.
The governors further resolved to pursue a coordinated regional energy strategy, noting that member states had moved beyond treating electricity as an individual state concern.
They welcomed the fact that the Dadinkowa Hydropower Plant was now feeding electricity into the national grid and called for greater use of the new electricity law, abundant sunshine, solar power and mini-grid solutions to expand electricity access across the region.
The Forum also renewed its appeal to the Federal Government to accelerate action on the Mambila Hydropower Plant, particularly following the resolution of the legal dispute surrounding the project.
The governors said completion of the project would contribute to improving power supply and supporting economic activities.
On transportation infrastructure, the Forum welcomed renewed Federal Government attention to the Port Harcourt-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri rail corridor and the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Biu-Maiduguri highway.
It described the two projects as important to improving connectivity, trade and economic integration in the region.
The governors also welcomed frontier oil exploration activities at Kolmani, while urging the Federal Government to revisit oil exploration activities previously commenced but later stalled in Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State.
The resolutions formed part of broader measures adopted by the governors to strengthen infrastructure, energy, transportation and economic cooperation across the North-East.
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