…projects to transport 271,104 nationwide
The federal government through the Ministry of Transportation has kicked off the 50 per cent discount on road transportation fares.
This was announced by the minister of transportation, Said Ahmed Alkali in a statement on Monday.
The initiative, which would last for 13 days, would kick off on Tuesday, 24th of December, 2024, and run till Sunday, 5th January 2025.
During the exercise, the federal government said it hopes that 16, 944 persons will be moved to and fro daily with 271,104 passengers to and fro across the nation.
It projects to use 708 vehicles across 144 routes from Abuja and Lagos to all State Capitals, except Anambra State. For Anambra, the federal government said it would be Onitsha.
The Minister has directed the leadership of Road Transportation Unions – Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), God is Good Motors (GIGM), and Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON) to ensure that the palliative buses are moved to the designated loading points early on the 24th December 2024 to move Nigerians who seek to take advantage of the initiative to join their loved ones across the country for Christmas (2024) and New Year (2025) celebration.
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The Minister in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Olujimi Oyetomi, expressed regrets that the scheme is taking off late.
He explained that the delay was due to some logistic issues, which have now been largely sorted.
The statement reads in part: “Nigerians who intend to use the scheme from Abuja will take off from Eagle Square by 6.00 a.m. while those who are taking off from Lagos are to use Oshodi Terminal 3 for those going northern routes and Oshodi Terminal 2 for those going Southern routes.
“Time for daily take-off is 6 a.m. However, some of the participating luxury buses are taking off by 6-7p.m. daily from Oshodi, Lagos.
“Passengers intending to take advantage of the Yuletide road transportation palliative should note that they will be required to pay 50% of the cost that they will otherwise pay”.
The Ministry advised Nigerians to avoid rushing in the face of the limited numbers of vehicles designated for the 2024 Yuletide bus palliative to avoid unpleasant experiences.