President Bola Tinubu authorised a 50% reduction in interstate transport fares for Nigerians travelling during the yuletide from Thursday, December 21, 2023, to January 4, 2024 on Wednesday.
Disclosing this to State House Correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa on Wednesday, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake said President Tinubu also granted free commuter rides on all rail lines throughout the period.
He said, “It is in this wise that the President is announcing through us that beginning from tomorrow, December 21, Nigerians willing to travel can board public transport via mini buses, luxury buses at 50 per cent discount of current cost and all our train services on the route the trains currently serve at zero cost on their travels this holiday season.
“This special presidential intervention will commence tomorrow, Thursday, December 21 and it will end on January 4, 2024.
“The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Transportation, will be working with transporters, road transport unions, the Nigerian Railway Corporation to seamlessly deliver on this special presidential initiative.”
Speaking on involvement of relevant stakeholders within the transportation sector, Alake said, “I can tell you that all the relevant stakeholders in that industry have been discussed with or been engaged and all the parameters laid out and the Minister of Transportation has the full details and it’s on top of the game.
“In fact, the Presidents of the various transport unions have been met…and everything is in top shape in terms of execution.”
However, Alake said air travel was excluded from the initiative because the initiative is targeted at the masses.
“The initiative is for the masses. Air is luxury. The masses don’t use air transport. So they are our main target,” he explained.
