The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Kyari Abubakar, on Thursday hinted that Gombe will have a Compressed Natural Gas centre by February 2025, adding that high cost of food in the state and the country at large is induced by cost of transportation.
Our Correspondent reports that CNG reduces greenhouse gas emissions, produces fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline and diesel.
Abubakar who was represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Adewoye Adeyemi, made this disclosure during an on-the-spot assessment of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket Programme in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The Minister identified transportation as major cause of high cost of food in the country, stressing that by the time the CNG centre is established it would help to solve the problem.
He said, “The issue of food inflation the biggest elephant is transportation that was why I mentioned CNG.
“As at today, we have 150 centres in Nigeria before this year runs out we are adding 40 by the time we have CNG converting centre, CNG filling stations.
“The elephant of inflation would have gone down by February we will have one in Gombe, and I’m coming with them to participate in the negotiation of CNG centre and with that prices of food will drop.”
Speaking further on why he was in the state, Abubakar added, “I’m here to monitor the distribution of farm inputs for farmers here. I went to the centre where farmers have been given their input and I can tell you that all the indicators we highlighted we asked them to follow they have followed it 100 per cent.”
The Minister disclosed that following the ministry’s concerted efforts, President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda would be attained, “I have no doubt that by next year (2025) we will have a bumper harvest. I think the programme is largely successful. The programme has been improved since last year and Mr President’s expectation has been met we can do more from 20, we can have 40, 60, 70, 80, workers working. We expect about 60 per cent yields, at over 2 million tonne across across the 19 Northern States that are involved in this programme,” he added.
