Hobnob News — In a bid to alleviate the financial burden of travel during the festive season, the Federal Government has collaborated with five transport unions and companies to provide a 50% subsidy on transport fares to 12 states. The scheme, facilitated through the Ministry of Transportation, will run from December 24, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
The Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), alongside the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Association of Luxurious Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), Good is Good Motors (GIGM), and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government to execute this initiative.
Under the arrangement, the government covers 50% of the fare for travelers, with routes such as Abuja to Asaba or Akwa costing N17,500, Abuja to Abakaliki N12,500, and Lagos to Benin N7,500. Routes like Lagos to Katsina, Onitsha, or Lafia are priced at N15,000, while Lagos to Bauchi or Jigawa is set at N12,500.
Yusuf Ibrahim, RTEAN’s National General Secretary, confirmed the implementation of the scheme, stating, “Designated packs are operational, and our buses are departing daily to their destinations as instructed. Each state has a set quota of buses to operate under this scheme.”
While the RTEAN and GIGM have been actively involved, observations at major transport hubs in Lagos and Ogun revealed that only GIGM buses were loading passengers under the subsidized fare program. Passengers can book GIGM tickets online or at their Oshodi terminal, according to the company’s CEO, Enahoro Okhae.
Efforts to reach other unions for comments were unsuccessful, as their leaders did not respond to inquiries.
The Federal Government has also commenced free rail transportation for citizens as part of its broader palliative measures, effective December 20, 2024.
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