President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced a 50 percent cut as a discount for luxury bus travellers and free train services on all routes in the country beginning tomorrow, Thursday.
The government also declared that movement during the yuletide by train along the existing routes will be free of charge to enable Nigerians willing to travel to do so with less financial strain, adding that all the t’s and the i’s had been worked out with the stakeholders to tidy up the gesture.
READ ALSO: Tinubu approves 50% reduction in transport fare nationwide
It said the gesture is aimed to provide succour to citizens who are heavily weighed down by the prevailing high cost of transportation commuting across the country, especially during the yuletide.
Announcing this at Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, flanked by his colleague Ministers of Information, Mohammed Idriss, Transportation, Saidu Alkali, and Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said:
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“From tomorrow, Nigerians wishing to embark on inter-state travel to any part of the country from Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Ibadan, Akure, Maiduguri, Sokoto and other major inter-state transportation hubs will be able to do so at half the cost.
“The Federal Government under the leadership of President Tinubu is working very hard to make sure Nigerians have a memorable and happy holiday season.”
Alake explained that the initiative is to lessen the cost of transportation during the Yuletide season, working with luxurious bus companies to reduce their prices by 50% along 22 interstate routes.
He said that the presidential intervention is to bring down the cost of public transportation to allow the citizens who want to travel to visit their loved ones and hometowns to do so without stress and the extra burden imposed by the high cost of transport around this period.
Alake who is the Chairman of the 6-man inter-ministerial committee on presidential intervention, further explained that “the President is well aware of the recent increase in cost of inter-state transportation and even for air travel. Traditionally, our people love to travel during Christmas and end of year to be with families and friends and this has been the practice for ages.”
“We also know that globally, intra-country travels and movement of people, goods and services always peak around Christmas and end of the year because of socio-gravitational pull of the period which transporters always cash on to increase fares astronomically.
“In recognition of the economic situation of the country which he is working very hard to turn around, President Tinubu wants Nigerians to be able to travel within Nigeria to wherever they want to go to meet their loved ones without the extra-burden of paying exorbitantly for inter-state public transportation.
“It is in this wise that the Federal Government is announcing, beginning from tomorrow, a special discounted holiday season fare on road transport and zero-fare by rail across Nigeria.
“What this means is that from tomorrow, Nigerians willing to travel can board public transport via minibuses, luxury buses at 50% discount of current cost and all our train services on the routes the trains currently serve at zero cost to and fro on their travels this holiday season.
“This special presidential intervention will commence (tomorrow)Thursday, December 21. It will end on January 4, 2024.”
Alake said that “the Federal Government through the Ministry of Transportation will be working with transporters, road transport unions, Nigerian Railway Corporation to seamlessly deliver on this special presidential initiative.
“From tomorrow, Nigerians wishing to embark on inter-state travel to any part of the country from Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Ibadan, Akure, Maiduguri, Sokoto and other major inter-state transportation hubs will be able to do so at half the cost.
“The Federal Government under the leadership of President Tinubu is working very hard to make sure Nigerians have a memorable and happy holiday season.
“The President has already directed the Police, Department of State Services, the Military and other security agencies to work collaboratively to ensure the holiday period is safe without any security breach in any part of the country.
“While we wish all Nigerians a great holiday season, we implore everyone to be law abiding, be security conscious, be our brother’s keepers, extend every goodwill to our families, friends and neighbours. We should continue to work within our sphere of influence to make our country the very best we all desire her to be.
“While we celebrate and enjoy all the social activities that come with the season, let us also remember to celebrate in moderation.”
The Minister of Transportation, in his remark, noted that the existing train services of Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itapke, and Abuja-Kaduna will maintain their existing schedules throughout the period.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation said the gesture is not a one-off initiative and will be implemented from time to time as deemed fit by the government.
Daily Route:
Participating companies include
1.GIG ( God is Good)
2. Chisco Transport
3. Young Shall Grow
4. God Bless Ezenwata
5. Area Motor
As smiles return to commuter faces and critics dissect the policy’s long-term impact, one question remains: will this festive rebate be a fleeting comfort or a spark for lasting change in Nigeria’s complex transportation landscape?
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