The Federal Government is set to unveil a total of 60 buses any moment from now as part of its commitment to ease the transportation of Nigerians travelling by road during the yuletide season.
This initiative is part of an agreement signed with transport unions under the Ministry of Transportation’s free transportation programme.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, Michael Oluwagbemi, disclosed this during an interview with Sunday PUNCH, on Friday.
On Friday, the government, through the Nigerian Railway Corporation, declared free rides for 340,000 train users travelling to their hometowns for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Providing further updates on the scheme, Oluwagbemi said the buses for the programme would soon be launched for the benefit of Nigerians.
He explained that the buses would transport passengers travelling between Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as to Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, and other surrounding areas.
Oluwagbemi said, “There is an agreement on the mass-transit programme. You all already know that in Abuja today, we have those 15 buses running interstate from here to Gwagwalada, to Keffi and Nyanya, as well as Zuba in Niger State.
“That programme is already ongoing, and it will be expanded to interstate routes this week. So, we are going to put an additional 60 buses to run interstate here in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as Lagos, Ibadan, and Abeokuta and neighbouring states.
“These buses will be providing free transportation till the beginning of next year as part of the Ministry of Transportation’s free transportation programme.”
Oluwagbemi also stated that the government planned to reduce transportation costs by converting cab drivers’ vehicles to CNG by the end of January 2025.
He added, “We signed a number of those agreements, but mainly two types of agreements, the transporters-vehicle agreement, where we are converting their vehicles.
“I believe a lot of them are now converted and before the end of January, they should be able to apply those discounts when they reach the benchmark targets.”