Kehinde Fajobi
The Lagos State chapter of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) is educating members on the advantages and dangers of using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in their tricycles.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Azeez Istijabah, stressed the need for caution to prevent accidents while reaping the economic benefits of switching from petrol to gas.
“Though there are economic advantages in converting petrol tricycles to gas, there are precautionary measures needed to be put in place to operate effectively,” Istijabah explained.
He highlighted the dangers of smoking and being near open flames while operating CNG vehicles, warning that “anything gas is highly inflammable.”
He also urged operators to avoid overloading tricycles and to strictly limit passengers.
“Operators should not allow passengers in the front seat. Overloading the tricycles is very dangerous; operators need to be very careful and take cognisance of various precautionary measures,” he added.
Mr AbdulAkeem Sabiu, the association’s branch chairman in Abule-Egba, further praised the introduction of CNG as a cost-saving alternative to petrol.
“Many of the operators are lamenting the high cost of petrol, and the new cheaper CNG initiatives by the Federal Government would bring succour to transporters and commuters,” Sabiu stated.
However, Sabiu called on the government to provide better access to CNG refueling stations, noting that tricycles are banned from operating in Agidingbi, where one of the few stations is located.
“We want the government to create easy access for us to enable us to refill our tricycles with ease,” he appealed.