Ekiti State government on Thursday commenced moves aimed at reducing transport fares by 50 percent across the State, with the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to cushion the effect of transportation cost on residents.
The State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, said the deployment of the CNG buses, which conicided with the Indeoendence Day and 30th anniversary celebrations, marked a major step in government’s move to reduce transport cost for the citizens in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directives.
He added that the state has commenced the process of cutting transport fare by 59 percent through the rollout of 15 CNG buses donated to the state by the Federal Government as part of efforts to promote affordable and accessible public transportation, adding that the State would expand the fleet of vehicles in order to serve the residents better.
Governor Oyebanji who was accompanied by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, at the official flag off of the vehicles at the premises of Ekiti State Transportation Agency in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, said government would continue to explore avenues to reduce the burden of the citizens.
Speaking with journalists shortly after inspecting the fleet of vehicles, Governor Oyebanji expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the intervention, noting that the provision of the buses would contribute significantly to reducing the burden of transportation on the people. He added that the initiative demonstrates the commitment of both the state and federal government to improving the welfare of the people.
The Governor added that the CNG buses would provide a more affordable means of transpiration for residents across the state, urging the drivers union to ensure that the gains are transmitted to the commuters.
Governor Oyebanji who also inspected ongoing projects in different parts of the state after inspecting the CNG buses, hailed President Tinubu’s economic policies, which he said had allowed more recourses to carry our programme and projects that have direct impact on the people.
“No matter how visionary a leader is, if there are no resources to work with, it will just stay in the realm of a vision. But the President has been helping and supporting us not only Ekiti State but all the states in the country to translate our vision into action and impacts for the people.
“The President charged all state Governors that by October first, we should find a way of reducing transportation cost because most of the implications we are witnessing, transportation contributes a lot to it and what we have done today is just the pilot, 15 CNG buses which is going to be distributed to the unions and the agency will manage it.
“My appeal is to the Unions, they should allow the gains to translate to the commuters because this will reduce transportation cost by 50 percent.
Speaking on the deployment of the buses, the Director General of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency, Hon. Tajudeen Akingbolu, said routes had been mapped out for the CNG buses to operate from Ado Ekiti to Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha and Abuja, adding that the initiative would provide residents with more affordable and reliable interstate transportation while reducing the burden of high transport fare.