To reduce the cost of road and rail transportation on Nigerians during this yuletide season, the Federal Government today announced a Presidential intervention to reduce by 50% cost of road transport on 22 major inter-state routes across the country while the Nigerian Railway Corporation will move passengers free on all its routes from tomorrow December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake who is the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the initiative addressed State House Correspondents in the company of Ministers of Transportation, Saidu Alkali, that of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris and Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga
Mr. Alake noted that President Tinubu took the decision to give the masses transportation rebate having been briefed on the astronomical increase in the cost of public transportation as a result of the Christmas and end of the year activities. Christmas/end of the year is a period most Nigerians love to travel to meet their families and loved ones.
Minister of Transportation will announce the 22 routes later in the day as arrangements have been concluded with private transportation companies with high capacity luxury buses and various road transport unions.
The Federal Government will pay the transport owners and companies 50% of their fare per route while commuters will pay half. For the rail transport which is under the total control of the Federal government – Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe – it will be free of cost for the period.
