The Ogun State Government under the state e-mobility programme launched 2,000 electric motorcycles on Wednesday.
The state governor, Dapo Abiodun said the programme aims to reduce the cost of transportation in the state and ensure a cleaner environment by reducing carbon emissions.
Abiodun, who spoke at the first phase of the launch held at the Arcade Ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the e-mobility initiative marks another milestone toward a sustainable and green future for the state.
He said : “Our administration is committed to mitigating the impact of the subsidy removal and the high cost of diesel fuel while reducing transportation costs for our citizens.
“We will be realizing about 2,000 e-bikes in the first phase. These commercial motorbikes can ride up to 75-80 kilometres on a full charge, and the vehicles can travel up to 200 kilometres, thus reducing transportation costs by 40 per cent.”
The governor also announced the groundbreaking of a new facility, named Giga Facility, at the Special Agro Processing Zone located in Iperu-Remo, noting that the facility, with a total investment of $40 million, would serve as an assembly plant for electric bikes, two-wheelers, tricycles, commercial buses, electric cars, and swap stations.
“This investment will be implemented in three phases, beginning with phase one, focusing on our E-Okada bike assembly, and of course, phase two with our tricycles, and phase three with our e-vehicles. It will create over 10,000 direct jobs and 50,000 indirect jobs for assembly line operators,” he said.
Abiodun however appealed to the people, particularly the youth, to engage the government constructively instead of embarking on unnecessary protests, which often do not yield positive results.
Also speaking, the Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Alkali, lauded the state for being the first to launch the E-Mobility initiative, adding that with this development, Ogun has joined other African countries that are currently using more than 15,000 e-bikes in their transportation sectors.
Alkali appealed to other state governments to take a cue from Ogun State in partnering with the federal government in CNG usage, just as he encouraged the public to support the programme to create jobs and make transportation cheaper, more efficient, and environmentally friendly.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, represented by the Executive Vice President of NNPCL, Mr. Lekan Ogunleye, lauded the state for always being the first in any innovation that would benefit the people.
Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Olugbenga Dairo, in his welcome address, said the launch of the programme was a follow up to the conversion of the CNG buses last year which is aimed at addressing the increase in transportation fare occasioned by the subsidy removal.