Northeast Govs Plan Regional Air Shuttle, CNG Stations To Cut Transport Costs

The Northeast Governors’ Forum has resolved to establish a regional air shuttle and expand CNG and LNG infrastructure across the six states to reduce transportation costs and ease the movement of people and goods.

The governors, who met in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Saturday for the Forum’s 13th meeting, said the initiatives were part of measures to strengthen regional connectivity, logistics and economic activities.

This is contained in a communiqué signed by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, issued at the end of the meeting.

The Forum also agreed to partner with Green Ville Energy to build and provide more CNG and LNG stations across the region.

In another transportation intervention, the governors acknowledged the support of the Federal Government through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) for the provision of 10,000 electric tricycles, 10 electric buses and 300 electric taxis.

According to the communiqué, the vehicles are expected to be launched in October as part of efforts to lessen the burden of transportation in the subregion.

The Forum said the proposed regional air shuttle would make inter and intra-regional movement of people and goods potentially strengthening economic integration among Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states.

The governors also linked improved transportation and logistics to the broader economic development of the region, which they said required stronger connectivity and coordinated action among member states.

The governors also renewed their call on the federal government to expedite action on the Mambila Hydropower Plant, urging it to take advantage of the recent resolution of the legal dispute surrounding the project to facilitate its completion and take-off.

The Forum said member states had moved from treating electricity as an individual state concern to pursuing a regional energy agenda.

It noted that the Dadinkowa Hydropower Plant was now feeding the national grid and encouraged the states to leverage the new electricity law, abundant sunshine, solar power and mini-grid solutions to expand electricity access across the subregion.

The governors also welcomed renewed federal government attention to the Port Harcourt–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Maiduguri rail corridor and the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri highway, describing improved connectivity as critical to the development and integration of the region.

They also welcomed frontier oil exploration at Kolmani but urged the federal government to revisit exploration activities that were earlier commenced and subsequently stalled in Magumeri and Gubio Local Government Areas of Borno State.