The Ekiti State Government has commenced moves to reduce transportation fares by 50 per cent across the state following the deployment of 15 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji announced the initiative on Thursday during the official flag-off of the buses at the Ekiti State Transportation Agency premises in Ado Ekiti.
Oyebanji said the deployment, which coincided with Nigeria’s Independence Day and Ekiti State’s 30th anniversary celebrations, was part of efforts to cushion the impact of rising transportation costs on residents.
The governor disclosed that the 15 buses were donated to the state by the Federal Government as part of efforts to promote affordable and accessible public transportation.
According to him, the initiative was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to state governors to find ways of reducing transportation costs for citizens.
“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,” Oyebanji said.
He appealed to transport unions to ensure that the savings from the CNG buses were passed on to commuters, stressing that the initiative was expected to reduce transportation costs by 50 per cent.
The governor also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for providing the buses, saying the intervention would help reduce the transportation burden on residents.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency, Tajudeen Akingbolu, disclosed that routes had been mapped out for the buses to operate between Ado Ekiti and Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha and Abuja.
He said the initiative would provide residents with more affordable and reliable interstate transportation while reducing the burden of high transport fares.
