By Samson Adeyanju
Many Nigerians have expressed outrage over recent comments by veteran journalist Sina Kawonise, describing his criticism of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PiCNG) as a calculated attempt to discredit a policy aimed at easing the burden of high fuel prices on struggling citizens.
Kawonise, a well-known critic of the Tinubu administration, came under fire both online and offline following his appearance on Arise TV, where he questioned the safety and integrity of the CNG kits being distributed under the initiative.
Even though he acknowledged that the CNG concept was well-intentioned, many believe his objections are disconnected from the reality that the initiative is providing real relief to ordinary Nigerians.
On the streets of Abuja and across several PiCNG catchment areas, commercial drivers, who are the lifeblood of urban transport are embracing the program with enthusiasm.
“To wait a day for a free gas conversion is far better than being crippled by daily petrol costs,” said Idris Ahmed, a commercial driver at Nyanya Park. “People like Mr. Sina are not speaking for us.”
Some critics have gone further to accuse Kawonise of acting as a mouthpiece for disgruntled kit importers whose shady dealings were exposed by PiCNG.
“This is not journalism; this is sabotage,” said a taxi driver who asked not to be named. “Why would anyone demonize a government program offering free kits to the poor unless they have something to lose?”
In a recent statement, PiCNG accused Mr. Charles Goriola Yakub of C & L Smart Energy, a firm formerly involved in the conversion project, of illegally selling government-supplied kits meant to be distributed at no cost.
The company was suspended in December 2024 after multiple reports and video evidence linked it to extortion and vehicle damage. The case is now with the EFCC.
To many Nigerians, Kawonise’s criticisms are ill-timed and misplaced.
“You can’t be shouting about poverty and then fight a policy that’s helping to reduce the cost of living,” said Amaka Chinedu, a commuter. “This is wickedness disguised as activism.”
Ironically, Kawonise himself admitted that his vehicles have been converted and that he now saves over 80 percent on fuel costs.
Yet he continues to insist the implementing agency is the problem, a position many find contradictory.
“If the system is saving you money, why fight it?” Chinedu added.
The PiCNG program remains one of the few federal initiatives widely embraced by the masses. It represents a lifeline for commercial drivers and low-income earners struggling under the weight of fuel subsidy removal.
To undermine it, many argue, is to side with profiteers at the expense of the people.
“Opposing the government is a right,” said civic advocate Michael Okonkwo, “but weaponizing misinformation against a people-centered policy is not activism — it’s betrayal.”
As the PiCNG initiative gains nationwide momentum, voices like Kawonise’s may become increasingly isolated, not as champions of the people but as defenders of a broken status quo the people are trying to escape.
