The Edo State governor Mr. Godwin Obaseki has disclosed that 5,600 vehicles run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The governor disclosed this in Benin while speaking to journalists on fuel subsidy removal.

“Data from NIPCO Gas, a joint-venture company between NIPCO and Nigeria Gas Company Limited (NGC), indicate that over 5,600 vehicles in Benin City run on Compressed Natural Gas after the initiative was rolled out in 2007 and commissioned in 2009,” he said.

He called on investors to make investments in alternative sources of energy such as natural gas in the wake of subsidy removal, which had led to a hike in transportation costs.

“We are blessed with a lot of gas in Edo. There is no reason why our tricycles and vehicles should be using petrol. We have more gas stations in Edo than any other state. We should be using more gas.

“Price levels would always go up. What we have to do is to open up the economy so that people will have more work to do. We need more manufacturing companies in Edo State.”

“The gas initiative was launched after a presentation by NIPCO Plc to roll out a pilot scheme to an inter-ministerial team of the Federal Government in 2007.

“NIPCO Gas has established 15 CNG running stations in Benin to provide an alternative for the Gasoline run automobiles,” he said.