Outrage in parliament: Northern lawmakers accuse FG of CNG centre bias

DDM News

Northern lawmakers voiced strong opposition to the Federal Government’s handling of the CNG conversion centre rollout.

They expressed anger over the exclusion of the North-East and North-West regions from the initiative.

The protest erupted during Thursday’s House of Representatives plenary session.

Hon. Aliyu Madaki, representing Dala Federal Constituency in Kano, raised the motion during the debate.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) reports that lawmakers described the CNG centre distribution as skewed and unfair to the northern region.

Madaki, who is also Deputy Minority Leader, condemned the uneven distribution of CNG centres across Nigeria.

He acknowledged the benefits of the CNG initiative, including reduced fuel costs and improved engine performance.

However, he criticized the absence of centres in key northern states.

Madaki pointed out that the North-East has no CNG conversion centre at all.

In the North-West, only Kaduna State was considered, leaving other states ignored.

He contrasted this with Lagos, which reportedly has over 70 CNG centres.

Other southern states like Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, and more also have multiple centres.

States such as Kano, Borno, Katsina, and Sokoto were completely excluded.

“We are concerned that major commercial states in the North have been sidelined,” Madaki stated.

He urged the Federal Government to extend the initiative equitably across all regions.

Madaki emphasized that fair distribution would ease hardship and promote business.

Hon. Sada Soli from Katsina also criticized the implementation strategy.

He described the exclusion of northern regions as contradictory to the programme’s purpose.

Soli stressed that the initiative should help all citizens, not just some.

He questioned how a national relief measure could be so regionally biased.

Borno lawmaker Ahmed Jaha offered deeper context to the northern frustration.

He connected the lack of investment in the North-East to its ongoing instability.

According to Jaha, underdevelopment has contributed to insecurity and insurgency in the region.

He warned that excluding northern states could worsen national unity and peace.

Jaha maintained that national development must be inclusive to be effective.

While commending the President for the initiative, he demanded fairer execution.

He emphasized that no region can be neglected without consequence to the entire nation.

The lawmakers urged a comprehensive review of the CNG rollout strategy.

They called for an even spread of centres to reflect national equity.

The debate underscores rising tension over regional imbalances in federal programmes.

Lawmakers insisted that only fairness can sustain peace and shared prosperity.

Their demands spotlight broader issues of neglect and uneven development in Nigeria.

The House urged the Federal Government to act swiftly to correct the imbalance.

This protest adds to ongoing concerns over marginalization and federal policy fairness.

It remains to be seen how the government will respond to this growing regional outcry.

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