By ABAH SUNDAY, Abuja
The President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has attracted a lot of commendations from Nigerians over his recent approval of 50 per cent bus fare subsidy and free train ride for travellers in the country during the yuletide, visits to some major parks around the country have shown.
In a bid to alleviate the financial burden of holiday travel on Nigerians this yuletide, President Tinubu had approved the transportation palliative with effect from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024, as disclosed to State House correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa on Wednesday by the chairman of the Yuletide transport subsidy inter-ministerial committee and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake.
It will be recalled that following the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petroleum, in a bid to check the massive corruption inherent in the programme by the Tinubu administration upon coming on board some six months ago, transport fares have skyrocketed causing untold hardship for Nigerians.
Following this latest humanitarian gesture by the President, which is meant to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal, travellers have lauded the President for his thoughtfulness and commitment to the welfare of the people as the holiday season kicks off in earnest.
Government, it was gathered, is partnering with major transport companies like Good is Good (GIG) motors, Chisco Transport, Young Shall Grow, God Bless Ezenwata and Area Motor. In view of high demand across the country, the routes have since been scaled up from 22 to 28 while citizens travelling from Lagos – Nigeria’s commercial hub, to other states like Akure and Ilorin via mini buses from the Oshodi bus interchange, are also beneficiaries.
Across the nation’s bustling motor parks,
many have expressed the relief brought their way by the package as it eases the strain on their pockets while journeying to their various destinations to reunite with loved ones during this festive period.
Speaking at a motor park in Lagos, Mrs. Adesuwa Adebayo, a businesswoman, shared, “I am truly grateful to President Tinubu for this palliative.
“It has made impact on my travel plans, and I can now afford to visit my family in Benin without worrying too much about the cost.
“This gesture shows that our leaders are in tune with the needs of the people.”
“In same vein, Mr Musa Ibrahim, a student travelling to Kaduna, remarked, “I never expected such a generous offer especially during the holidays.
“President Tinubu’s palliative has lightened my financial load, and, “I can’t thank him enough. It’s great to see our leaders taking steps to support ordinary citizens.”
One Ebele, travelling from Mararaba, Abuja aboard the GIGM bus to Edo state, captured in his excitement said, “It’s a good feeling. I got the refund of 50% of my fares. I had paid N36,800 initially but I got half of that back. This is a real palliative and I’m grateful to President Bola Tinubu.
Lucky who was travelling from Mararaba, Abuja to Owerri, Imo State had this to say, ” The original fare was N32,300 but on getting here, they said the President has given us a 50% discount and they refunded it back to me. I just received my own alert.
The expression of gratitude to the President, was not limited to the travellers as transport operators and service providers also lauded the move.
Many transporters have acknowledged the increased patronage in their business and the positive impact the palliative is making in the sector as a whole.
Earlier, the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), the organisation overseeing the Owners/Operators of Long Distance Mass Transit Inter-State Bus Service, had expressed delight over the move and announced full implementation of the 50 per cent bus fare reduction policy of the federal government.