Oyebanji says 15-bus pilot scheme will expand as state targets cheaper interstate travel…..
The Ekiti State Government has launched a pilot scheme involving Compressed Natural Gas buses as part of efforts to bring down transportation costs and provide cheaper public transport for residents.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji flagged off 15 CNG buses on Thursday at the Ekiti State Transportation Agency premises in Ado-Ekiti, saying the initiative is expected to reduce transport fares by as much as 50 percent.
The launch, which coincided with Nigeria’s Independence Day and the 30th anniversary of Ekiti State, is part of the state’s response to efforts by the Federal Government to make public transportation more affordable.
Oyebanji, who was accompanied by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said the buses were provided to the state by the Federal Government and would serve as the first phase of the programme.
He said the government planned to increase the number of buses deployed under the scheme to extend the benefits to more residents.
The governor said lowering transportation costs was critical to reducing the financial pressure on households, noting that transport expenses contribute significantly to the cost of living.
“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 are going to be distributed to the unions, and the agency will manage it,” Oyebanji said.
He appealed to transport unions to ensure that the savings generated from the use of CNG were reflected in the fares paid by passengers.
“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,” he said.
Oyebanji also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s intervention, saying the provision of the buses would help reduce the transportation burden faced by residents.
According to the governor, the administration’s policies at the federal level have also given states greater room to pursue programmes targeted at improving the welfare of citizens.
“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,” Oyebanji said.
“But the President has been helping and supporting us not only in Ekiti State but in all the states in the country to translate our vision into action and impacts for the people.”
CNG buses to serve four major routes
The Director-General of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency, Tajudeen Akingbolu, said the routes for the newly deployed buses had already been mapped out.
He disclosed that the buses would provide services between Ado-Ekiti and Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha and Abuja.
Akingbolu said the arrangement would give residents access to more affordable and dependable interstate transportation while helping to cushion the effect of rising fares on commuters.
The state government said it would continue to pursue measures aimed at lowering transportation costs and expanding access to affordable public transport across Ekiti State.
