The Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, on Monday unveiled 10 locally assembled electric tricycles to mitigate environmental hazards caused by emission of toxic carbon into the atmosphere.
Speaking to journalists at the event, Commandant of AFIT, AVM Abdulganiy Olabisi, said the tricycles were assembled with the aim of facilitating easy movement around the institute.
“AFIT, if not the only tertiary institution in Nigeria to begin the use electric tricycle, is centered to the fact that we are passionate of introducing something that is climate friendly in order to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
“We already have projects on ground to see how the tricycles can be produced locally, we believe after a while we can begin production of the electric tricycles here in AFIT”, the commandant said.
Also speaking, Dr. Bashir Garba, the Managing Director (MD) of AFIT Consult, said they were saddled with the responsibility of assembling the electric tricycles.
He also said they were saddled with the responsibility of ensuring transfer of technology between the parts brought from China and what they are going to produce at AFIT.
Garba added that the electric tricycles were part of AFIT’s measures toward providing adequate transportation system to students and staff of the institute.
According to him, the tricycles can last as long as 12 hours if fully charged.
He noted that climate change being one of the issues the Kaduna State Government was trying to solve prompted them to start complementing the efforts and also do more on the tricycles beyond the present level.
“In advancement of the machine, we are going to couple solar panels on top of the tricycles after the dry season so as to have continuous charging and a reversible action where by we will charge the tricycles using the electricity.
” We are about to even begin production of ambulance tricycles; AFIT is a school for logistics and supply chain management, we will invite you to come and see electric and solar vehicles which will be used in transporting goods from one place to the other.
According to him, a lot of AFIT staff are acquainted with how all the tricycles parts are produced and could easily manufacture them locally.
He also noted that the tricycles had provided employment opportunities for members of the institute’s community.
“Those who are given the tricycles have been vetted by the institute’s security section and they are resident of the Barakallahu, Mando and Kawo, this means we have provided employment for about 35 youths.
“We also have about 15 of the tricycles which are yet to be assembled and also four from the Nigerian Air Force Investment Company, in three months we will have at least 40 to 50 electric tricycles which will amount to more employment in the community,” Garba said.
He called on other institutions to patronise zero-carbon emission equipment so as to curtail climate change issues.
