Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has reaffirmed the commitment of the FCT Administration towards achieving zero carbon emission in the city by the year 2070, even as he supports the planned introduction of Gas-Powered Vehicles in the FCT.
The Minister gave this assurance in Abuja shortly after inspecting the mass transit “Eco Green bus” being proposed for use in the FCT by a natural gas powered vehicle manufacturer, Austrian Technologies Nigeria Limited.
He restated that Abuja was conceptualized to be a green city by at least 40 percent, adding that FCT Administration is committed to the implementation of the pledge made by President Muhammadu Buhari at the COP26 meeting in Glasgow for Nigeria to achieve Net-Zero Carbon emission by 2070.
Bello revealed that Abuja was part of a group of six nations from the northern and southern hemispheres committed to meeting the challenges of climate change and was also admitted as part of a research programme known as “Institute for Future cities” run by a university in the United Kingdom.
The Minister said “Abuja, being a new city, we have a lot of the fundamentals to be able to achieve zero carbon emission and that’s why they admitted us and then we are going to work towards seeing how we can eliminate and become carbon emission free before 2070”.
He then indicated the readiness of the FCTA to look closely at the proposal from Austrian Technologies Nigeria Limited in a bid to see the possibilities for deployment.
Earlier, while explaining the functionalities of the proposed eco friendly mass transit bus, the Chief Executive Officer, of Austrian Technologies Nigeria Limited, Mr. Johann Rieger said the buses were equipped with gas engines of higher emission standards (Euro 5) with no toxin, smog or smoke which guaranteed reduced noise and lower fuel costs and had the capacity to carry about 100 passengers in peak hours.
He added that the bus system also had other special features designed to reduce road fatalities, save fuel, as well as reduce the cost of maintenance.
Mr. Rieger also disclosed that his company plans to build a training school with simulators that would allow drivers to be trained in a quiet classroom environment without burning fuel or blocking the roads while training.
The FCT Minister, along with other staff of the FCTA, took a tour of the bus, asking relevant technical and financial questions.
Present at the event were the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, the MD Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company, Abdulrazak Oniyangi, Director Projects in the Hon Minister’s Office, Saka Isiaka Ahmed, Directors from the Transportation Secretariat and other FCTA top functionaries.
