President Bola Tinubu has approved a 50 per cent slash in interstate transport fare for Nigerians travelling during the yuletide.
The slash takes effect from Thursday, December 21, 2023 and ends January 4, 2024.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, made the announcement on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to him, the federal government had discussed with all the necessary stakeholders to make the intervention a success.
His words: “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.
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“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.”
The minister added: “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.”
Alake explained that the intervention had nothing to do with air travel.
“The initiative is for the masses. Air is luxury. The masses don’t use air transport. So they are our main target,” he said.
