Otti: Abia picked electric buses over CNG as a technology upgrade
- Governor Alex Otti says Abia chose electric buses for public transport because they are a step up in technology.
- He says the state still welcomes more CNG stations, which would serve private vehicles rather than government buses.
- Otti also says traders moved from Umuahia's Isi-Gate area will be compensated and the relocation will be gradual.
Abia State settled on electric buses for its public transport because the technology is newer than gas-powered engines, Governor Alex Otti has said.
Otti spoke on Friday night at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia during his monthly media chat, according to reports by Vanguard and PM News.
His explanation matters to commuters and transport operators in a state where fuel prices have squeezed daily travel budgets. It also touches a national debate over whether Nigeria should shift buses and cars to compressed natural gas (CNG) as petrol costs rise.
Otti said the choice was not a rejection of CNG. Petrol and CNG vehicles both run on internal combustion engines, he said, while electric vehicles use a different propulsion system.
“We are not opposed to CNG, but we chose electric vehicles for our public transportation system,” he said.
He said his government still wants more CNG stations in Abia and that agreements have been reached with companies interested in building them. Those stations, he said, would serve privately owned vehicles and other users, not the state's public transport fleet.
The governor described CNG as cheaper than petrol and said he expects more petrol and diesel vehicles to be converted, noting that Nigerian firms already do such conversions.
Isi-Gate traders and compensation
Otti also addressed complaints about street trading at Umuahia's Isi-Gate, a busy city-centre spot. He said street trading cannot be wiped out entirely and pointed out that it exists in cities abroad, including London.
He said his government is trying to bring order to the capital but will not push petty traders out without a plan. Traders affected by the urban renewal drive will be paid compensation, he promised.
“We are a government that is compassionate. So, if we move you out of your shop, we will pay you compensation. We will ensure that,” he said.
The relocation will be gradual, he said, because many traders depend on daily sales to feed their families. The government is still looking for alternative sites for those who will be moved.
Otti argued that clearing traders without regard for their livelihoods would defeat the purpose of the renewal programme.
“It doesn't make sense to drive everybody away. Who are you even sanitising the place for?” he said.
What happens next
Residents will be watching for two things: when the electric buses begin running on Abia routes, and how soon the promised compensation and new trading sites reach Isi-Gate traders. The government has not given dates for either in these reports.
