President Bola Tinubu has approved 50 percent rebate for inter-state travels and 100 percent for train trips for Nigerians wishing to travel home to celebrate Christmas holidays with their families.
The rebate covers December 21 to January 4, 2024, across 22 routes including Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Ibadan, Akure, Maiduguri, Sokoto and other major inter-state transportation hubs.
The president has also directed the police, Department of State Services (DSS), the military and other security agencies to collaborate to ensure the holiday period is safe without any security breach in any part of the country.
Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Presidential Intervention, and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, alongside the Ministers of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Transportation, Said Alkali, and Special Adviser on Information, Bayo Onanuga, made the disclosure, while briefing State House Correspondents, yesterday.
According to Alake, the gesture is specially for the masses who want to travel to join their loved ones for the festive season.
He said: “In the spirit of Christmas and end of the year festivities, President Bola Tinubu, in another demonstration of his love for Nigerians, has approved that the Federal Government should intervene to bring down the cost of public transportation to allow our compatriots, who want to travel to visit their loved ones and hometowns to do so without stress and the extra burden imposed by the high cost of transport around this period. The president is well aware of the recent increase in the cost of inter-state transportation, and even for air travel. Traditionally, our people love to travel during Christmas and end of year to be with families and friends and this has been the practice for ages.
“We also know that globally, intra-country travels and movement of people, goods and services always peak around Christmas and end of the year because of the socio-gravitational pull of the period, which transporters always latch on to increase fares astronomically.
“In recognition of the economic situation of the country which he is working very hard to turn around, President Tinubu wants Nigerians to be able to travel within Nigeria to wherever they want to go to meet their loved ones without the extra-burden of paying exorbitantly for inter-state public transportation.
“It is in this wise that the Federal Government is announcing, beginning from today, a special discounted holiday season fare on road transport and zero-fare by rail across Nigeria.
“What this means is that from today, Nigerians willing to travel can board public transport luxury buses at 50 percent discount of current cost and all our train services on the routes the trains currently serve at zero cost to and fro on their travels this holiday season.
“This special presidential intervention will commence today, December 21. It will end on January 4, 2024. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Transportation, will be working with transporters, road transport unions, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation, to seamlessly deliver on this special presidential initiative.
“From today, Nigerians wishing to embark on inter-state travel to any part of the country from Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Ibadan, Akure, Maiduguri, Sokoto and other major inter-state transportation hubs will be able to do so at half the cost.
“The Federal Government under the leadership of President Tinubu is working very hard to make sure Nigerians have a memorable and happy holiday season.
“The president has already directed the Police, Department of State Services, the Military and other security agencies to work collaboratively to ensure that the holiday period is safe without any security breach in any part of the country. “While we wish all Nigerians a great holiday season, we implore everyone to be law-abiding, be security conscious, be our brother’s keepers, and extend every goodwill to our families, friends and Neighbours. We should continue to work within our sphere of influence to make our country the very best we all desire her to be.
“While we celebrate and enjoy all the social activities that come with the season, let us also remember to celebrate in moderation.”
Alkali said the Federal Government had already met with the leadership of the transport companies toward a successful and efficient reduction cost. He said the ministry would maintain all the train routes in order to ensure that Nigerians enjoyed the maximum benefits of these special presidential intervention.