The Chairman of the Committee on the Implementation of the End of Year Transportation Subsidy Programme, Dele Alake, says over 163,878 passengers benefited from the programme across the country.

Alake, who is also the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, made this known in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Kehinde Bamigbetan, on Monday, January 1, 2024.

The minister said the programme, which was approved by President Bola Tinubu on December 19, 2023, provided free transportation on the routes of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and 50 per cent subsidy on transport fares for passengers travelling on 30 routes serviced by bus operators under the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON).

He stated that the programme was a demonstration of the president’s empathy and love for Nigerians, who he said were committed to travelling to their hometowns at the end of the year.

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According to him, the programme was also aimed at easing the financial burden of the citizens, who are facing some economic challenges due to the global pandemic and other internal factors.

Alake said the committee took some remedial measures to address some identified gaps in the execution of the programme, including adding two more routes, engaging other bus-owning stakeholders, such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the state-owned transport companies, and the Private Transport Operators Association (PTONA), and collaborating and sensitising Nigerians through the press and other media platforms.

The minister said the programme recorded impressive results, noting that between December 21 and December 31, the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under ALBON carried 77, 122 passengers.

Alake stated that 652 “bus trips originating travels” from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766.

He said: “Between December 21 and December 31, 2023, figures available show that the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under the auspices of ALBON carried 77, 122 passengers, and 652 bus trips originating travels from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766.  This means no fewer than 163, 878 passengers benefitted from the Presidential Yuletide Transportation Subsidy in the first 10 days of the programme.

“Secondly, while train bound passengers enjoyed total free service, road travelers paid only 50 percent of the fares. The subsidies depended on the fares ranging from a saving of N21,500 on a Lagos-Abuja road trip fare of N43,000 and N15,000 on a Lagos –Onisha bus fare of N30,000.”

He, however, appealed for cooperation from the passengers and the bus companies to manage the return of passengers from their locations back to their bases till Thursday, January 4, 2024, as the programme is still ongoing.

The Star