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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Minister of Solid Minerals Development and chairman of the Presidential Inter-Ministerial Committee on subsidised yuletide inter-state transport, Dr. Dele Alake, has assured Nigerians that logistics for the 50% discount on road transport on 22 major routes across the country from December 21, 2023 has been finalised.
Recall that Alake had in the company of Minister of Transportation, Saidu Alkali; Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris, and Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced on Wednesday afternoon a presidential intervention to reduce the cost of inter-state road transport by 50% while commuting on railways will be free from December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
Addressing the press alongside Minister of Interior, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and his Transportation counterpart, after a follow up meeting, Alake reiterated that all was set for the effective implementation of the initiative, which he said is aimed at easing the burden of high cost of transportation on Nigerians this Yuletide season.
In his remarks, Transportation Minister, Alkali, revealed that the Federal Government is using the structured Luxury Buses Association of Nigeria to operate the discounted fares on the 22 routes across the country, stressing that implementation will commence on Thursday, while the specified routes will be announced, shortly.
On securing mining sites, Tunji-Ojo said that the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will play a significant role in the new security architecture in the works, stressing that collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in that regard remains unflinching.