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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
President Bola Tinubu has approved a 50 per cent rebate in inter-state land transportation fare across 22 luxurious bus routes nationwide from December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
The president has also approved zero fare for train transportation along Lagos-Ibadan, Abuja-Kaduna and Warri-Itakpe corridors within the same period.
The Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Presidential Intervention and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja, said all the logistics on the implementation have been worked out between the Minister of Transportation and the transport unions and luxury bus owners.
“In recognition of the economic situation of the country which he is working very hard to turn around and in the spirit of Christmas, 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 presidential initiative is to give succour to the masses. The programme is not beyond the affordability of the government.
“This special presidential intervention will commence tomorrow, Thursday, December 21, and it will end on January 4, 2024.
“The Federal Government through the Ministry of Transportation will be working with transporters, road transport unions, and 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,” he said.