Tag: Transport

Minister of Solid Minerals Development and chairman of the Committee on the Implementation of the End of Year Transportation Subsidy Programme of the President, Oladele Alake said 163, 878 Nigerians benefited from the federal government transportation rebate across the country.

Special adviser to the minister, Kehinde Bamigbetan, who made this known in a statement said Alake described the programme as a huge success.

According to him, Alake, made this known in a progress report on Monday, January 1, 2024.

He added: “Alake said the programme, which was approved by President Tinubu on December 19, 2023, provided free transportation on the routes of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and 50 percent subsidy on transport fares for passengers travelling on 30 routes serviced by bus operators under the umbrella association, the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria, ALBON.

“He also added the programme was a demonstration of the president’s empathy and love for the Nigerian people, who are culturally and emotionally committed to travelling to their home towns at the end of the year.

“According to him, the programme was also aimed to ease the financial burden of the citizens, who are facing some economic challenges due to the global pandemic and other internal factors.

“He said the committee took some remedial measures to address some identified gaps in the execution of the programme, such as adding two more routes, engaging other bus-owning stakeholders, such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, the State-owned Transport Companies, and the Private Transport Operators Association, PTONA, and collaborating and sensitising Nigerians through the press and other media platforms.

“He said the programme recorded impressive results, as between December 21 and December 31, 2023, the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under the auspices of ALBON carried 77, 122 passengers.

“The Minister in the report also revealed that 652 ‘bus trips originating travels’ from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766.

“Between December 21 and December 31, 2023, figures avaialable show that the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under the auspices of ALBON carried 77, 122 passengers, and 652 bus trips originating travels from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766.  This means no fewer than 163, 878 passengers benefitted from the Presidential Yuletide Transportation Subsidy in the first 10 days of the programme.

“Secondly, while train bound passengers enjoyed total free service, road travelers paid only 50 percent of the fares. The subsidies depended on the fares ranging from a saving of N21,500 on a Lagos-Abuja road trip fare of N43,000 and N15,000 on a Lagos –Onisha bus fare of N30,000,” Alake said in the report.

He added: “He appealed for co-operation from the passengers and the bus companies to manage the return of passengers from their respective locations back to their bases till Thursday, January 4, 2024, as the programme is still ongoing.

“On the overall assessment of the scheme so far, Alake enthused that it has been a huge success, emphasising that the transportation rebate was a demonstration of the level love President Tinubu has for Nigerians.

“The programme has been a huge success. It is a vivid expression of the resonant leadership driven by emotional intelligence. The yuletide transportation programme sought to meet the mass of Nigerians at their point of need,” said the Minister.

The special Adviser also stated: “On the arrangement for the return leg of the trip by travellers, Allake also urged them to initiate their return journey as early as possible to secure seats on the coaches and buses, and appealed to all the bus companies involved to demonstrate faith, integrity and patriotism by applying the 50 percent subsidy and making enough vehicles available.

“The minister added that the committee would continue to monitor compliance and intervene whenever and wherever necessary, and assured that the appropriate government security agencies have been properly briefed to ensure the free embarkation and disembarkation of passengers at the parks.”

The Federal Government‘s 50% discount on transport during the yuletide has led to geometric rise in passengers travelling, The Nation learnt.

According to a statement signed by Olujimi Oyetomi, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Transport, no fewer than 143 passaners benefitted from the gesture on Boxing Day in Abuja, as travellers continued to swarm various parks across the country.

The government had promised to subsidise travelling fees of passangers wishing to travel during the yuletide.

The governemnt had said it was part of the measures to cushion the effect of economic situation in the zcountry

Olujimi said report from the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Transportation Palliatives,
Monitoring Situation Room, showed that many passangers were recorded on Boxing Day, 26th of December, 2023 rushing to take advantage of 50%discount in public transportation fares.

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In summary for the Boxing Day, 26th December, 2023, 48 Passengers to Borno; 54 to Kano; 14 to Damaturu; 7 to Ilorin; 12 to Ikotun as well as another 8 to Lagos and the FG Monitoring Team was able to observe these Nigerians paid a 50%discount of the transport fares to their different destinations on Boxing Day especially with the working agreement between luxury bus owners’ association and different transport company operators in Abuja.

He said: “At Jabi Motor Park on Boxing Day, three (3 Nos) Borno Express Buses of 16-passenger sitting capacity loaded and got 54 all passengers on their manifest refunded half of the fare they paid to Maiduguri from Abuja, so much so that passengers who left with buses that left earlier than the three just before the monitoring team got involved to create the awareness in Borno Express Park, Jabi who were related with on phone, rued missing out on the presidential largess.

“The Manager of Borno Express at Jabi Park, Muhammad Ali pleaded that his State, Borno is the home state of the Vice President and this Federal Government largess should be extended to his people.

“At Kano line Park, also in Jabi, passengers that boarded three (3 Nos) of the transport company’s vehicles leaving for Kano from the Park, after the monitoring team ensured that they benefited from 50%discount, stated that this direct dividend of democracy from their leader, is what they will be looking forward to at another festive period, especially Sallah. “Times are hard. I wouldn’t have been able to travel, but when I heard about this programme, I did a quick addition and subtraction and see that with less than N3,000, I can get to Kano. I made my decision and I have been paid”, one of the Kano-bound passengers who spoke in Hausa stated on record.”

He also disclosed that the level of awareness about the gesture is increasing.

“Monitors observed that there’s now a high-level awareness on the path of Nigerians so much so that every passenger, irrespective of the route or bus company operator they patronize, demanded the Jagaban palliative as of right.

“Gombe line at Jabi Motor Park, operated an 18-Seater Capacity bus to Damaturu on Boxing Day with all the 18 passengers refunded 50% of their t-fare.

“Yobe Line operated one (1) bus with 14-Passenger capacity. All the 14 passengers were refunded 50% discount on t-fare paid.

“Kwara Express in Jabi operated a Sienna Bus with passenger capacity of 7-persons who got a refund of 50% t-fare paid. That of Kwara begins the monitoring of the discount implementation for the North Central Zone and especially for Kwara-bound passengers noting that their Governor, Abdurahman Abdurazaq is the Chairman of Governors’ Forum. His citizens should not fail to be availed this presidential palliative.

“The implementation starting point of the discount was done with modest persuasion from Hamza Omolade, the manager of the operation of Kwara Express who was on ground at Jabi Park on Boxing Day.”

He also said that comments have been very positive regarding the palliative.

“Positive comments about the 50%discount and commendations for the administration of President Bola Tinubu could be heard from the likes of Naomi Barnabas and Mansur Waziri, Muhammad Waziri, Abubakar Ibrahim, Babagana Imam and Muhammad Ali (around Borno Express Park at Jabi, Abuja); Olawoju Obafemi (around Kwara Express Motor Park at Jabi, Abuja); as well as the likes of Muktar Abubakar (around Kano line Park at Jabi, Abuja); Sanni Magaji (around the Yobe Line Motor Park at Jabi, Abuja, Hamza Omolade (around Kwara Express Motor Park at Jabi, Abuja) and Surajo Abubakar, around Gombe Line Park at Jabi, Abuja.

“It is worth mentioning that Federal Government Officials who are at the apex of managing the 50% Discount on t-fare during the yuletide as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR have to be reviewing the strategy for implementation as intel comes to them from different parts of the country with the sole objective of being fair in its implementation. There were therefore more routes application and redistribution of target numbers of passengers for the programme with repeated strategy/review meetings and brainstorming.

“The FG-Monitoring Team from Transportation Ministry still remains on ground at Kubwa and at Mararaba Parks in Abuja where passengers who benefited from the discount.

“From God is Good Motors (GIGM) Kubwa Park, 12 passengers bound for Ikotun in Lagos got the 50% discount refund before setting off on their journey.

“A vehicle with plate number JRT-140ZY operated by GIGM from its Mararaba (Abuja) Park had all its 8-passengers who were heading for Lagos, also got reimbursed with 50% discount on t-fare paid.”