In a festive gesture aimed at alleviating the economic burden on Nigerians during the holiday season, the Federal Government has extended a 50% cut in transportation fares to 128 road transport passengers in Abuja.
The move, part of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to intervening in the current economic challenges, especially during the Christmas and New Year festivities, brought relief to travelers heading to various destinations in the North.
Last week, the federal government announced a transportation rebate, reducing road transport fares by 50% and making train services cost-free in their operational areas. The rebate, however, specified that it would apply to 28 luxury bus service routes nationwide.
In a significant development, the Association of Luxury Bus Owners (ALBON) extended its mandate to include passengers traveling with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), ensuring a 50% refund of their fares. The Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olujimi Oyetomi, affirmed this in a statement issued on Monday.
The statement revealed that 128 travelers from Abuja bound for destinations in the North, including Gombe, Bauchi, Yola, and Maiduguri, enjoyed the transportation fare cut on Christmas Day. The ALBON Task Force, headed by Chief Clement Okuefuna, facilitated the immediate reimbursement of 50% of the fares paid by passengers upon boarding their vehicles at the Area 1 Motor Park.
ALBON, recognizing the predominance of low-capacity vehicles on routes to the North, collaborated with the NURTW, FCT Chapter, to service these routes. As a result, eight buses loaded with 16 passengers each, totaling 128 cheerful Nigerians, experienced the joy of being refunded half of their transport fares.
The implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive not only brought tangible relief to travelers but also garnered support and cheers from politically conscious northern Nigerians, who, in jubilation, chanted, “Jagaban, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 4 plus 4.” Despite the non-political nature of the transport palliative, the initiative succeeded in renewing hopes for a better Nigeria during this special period of Christmas and New Year.
