UMUAHIA — Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has clarified why his administration opted for Electric Vehicles (EVs) instead of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses for the state’s public mass transit system, stating that electric technology places Abia a notch higher in modern, zero-emission transportation.
Speaking during a monthly executive media interaction in Umuahia, Otti stated that while CNG vehicles offer a cheaper alternative to petrol, both CNG and petrol rely on internal combustion engines. In contrast, adopting electric mobility represents a technological upgrade that aligns with global sustainability standards and long-term cost efficiency.
”We are not doing CNG for public transportation; we are doing electric,” Governor Otti stated. “It is cheaper to run your vehicle on CNG than petrol, but the truth is that both are internal combustion engines. Moving to electric moves you a notch higher. We are not opposed to CNG, but we chose electric vehicles for our public transportation system.”
The Governor emphasized that the administration is open to private sector investments in CNG infrastructure for commercial and private transport. He noted that the state government has reached preliminary agreements with private firms to establish CNG refueling stations and vehicle conversion centers across the state.
The policy position follows the state government’s expansion of the “Abia Green Shuttle” scheme, which saw the rollout of state-owned electric mass transit buses to ease intracity transportation costs for residents.
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