Federal Government Celebrates: Over 160,000 Nigerians Benefit from Transportation Rebate Within 10 Days

Federal Government Celebrates: Over 160,000 Nigerians Benefit from Transportation Rebate Within 10 Days....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Dr. Oladele Alake, the Chairman of the Committee overseeing the Implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s End of Year Transportation Subsidy Programme, has lauded the initiative as a tremendous success, benefiting over 160,000 passengers nationwide….CONTINUE READING

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In a progress report released on January 1, 2024, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Alake, highlighted that the program, sanctioned by President Tinubu on December 19, 2023, offered complimentary transportation on Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) routes and a 50 percent fare subsidy for travelers on 30 bus routes managed by the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON).

He emphasized that the program reflected the President’s compassion and concern for the cultural and emotional ties Nigerians have to traveling to their hometowns at year-end. Additionally, it aimed to alleviate the financial strain on citizens grappling with economic challenges exacerbated by the global pandemic and internal factors.

Addressing identified gaps in the program’s execution, the committee implemented remedial measures, including adding two more routes, collaborating with stakeholders such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), State-owned Transport Companies, and the Private Transport Operators Association (PTONA). The committee also engaged in media collaboration to sensitize Nigerians.

The report outlined notable achievements, revealing that between December 21 and December 31, 2023, the NRC transported 71,000 passengers, while ALBON buses carried 77,122 passengers. Moreover, 652 bus trips originating from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos transported 15,766 passengers. This indicated that a total of 163,878 passengers benefited from the Presidential Yuletide Transportation Subsidy within the initial 10 days of the program.

Dr. Alake highlighted the dual nature of the subsidy, where train passengers enjoyed a full free service, while road travelers paid only half of the fares. The savings ranged from N21,500 on a Lagos-Abuja road trip fare of N43,000 to N15,000 on a Lagos-Onitsha bus fare of N30,000.

Calling for cooperation from passengers and bus companies for the return leg of the journey until Thursday, January 4, 2024, Dr. Alake expressed confidence in the ongoing success of the program, attributing it to President Tinubu’s profound care for Nigerians. He urged travelers to commence their return journey early, securing seats on coaches and buses, and called on bus companies to exhibit faith, integrity, and patriotism by applying the 50 percent subsidy and ensuring an adequate vehicle supply.

Dr. Alake assured continuous monitoring of compliance and intervention as necessary, emphasizing that government security agencies were briefed to ensure smooth passenger embarkation and disembarkation at parks.

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