The Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, says it is educating its members about the benefits and dangers of using Compressed Natural Gas.
Its Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Azeez Istijabah, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos, said this would help members take precautionary measures during their operations.
NAN reports that the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State chapter, on October 16, unveiled its first 3,000 CNG commercial tricycles worth N10.2 billion to ease transport challenges.
Istijabah said: “Though there are economic advantages in converting petrol tricycles to gas, there are precautionary measures needed to be put in place to operate effectively.
“At first instance, operators must not smoke or operate in a naked fire environment.
“Smoking is highly prohibited while operating CNG tricycles because anything gas is highly inflammable.”
The union leader also urged members to avoid overloading their tricycles, urging them to always maintain three passengers at a trip.
“Operators should not allow passengers in the front seat.
“Overloading the tricycles is very dangerous, operators need to be very careful and take cognisance of various precautionary measures,” he added.
The association’s branch chairman in Abule-Egba, Mr AbdulAkeem Sabiu, also told NAN that the new development would improve and encourage the operators in the transport business.
According to him, many of the operators are lamenting the high cost of petrol.
He said that the new cheaper CNG initiatives by the Federal Government would bring succour to the transporters and commuters.
Sabiu urged the Federal government and Lagos State government to create easy access refilling depots for commercial tricycles using CNG.
He said that tricycles were prohibited from operating in the Agidingbi area of the state where the CNG refilling station is situated.
He said, “We want the government to create easy access for us to enable us to refill our tricycles with ease.”
