The Federal Government has launched 20 high-capacity buses powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), to ease the transportation burden of civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, who commissioned the buses on Tuesday in Abuja, said this was part of the efforts towards improving the welfare of civil servants by providing efficient, affordable, and safe transportation that will convey them to and from their workplace, especially those living within FCT and its environs.
She noted that the scheme is being implemented in collaboration with private sector operator, FEMADEC Group, which is providing high-capacity intra-city buses with automated payment systems to ensure its effective and efficient administration.
She stressed that the project would help reduce the cost of transportation of civil servants and further decongest the bus stops of civil servants around the Federal Secretariat, which is usually overcrowded during the close of work.
Dr Yemi-Esan added that easing the transportation of civil servants has been one of the targets of her administration, adding that the government has always sought ways to achieve a healthier and safer environment for civil servants.
“This pillar is targeted at addressing issues of the socio-economic wellbeing of civil servants, which if not tackled holistically, is capable of impeding the efficiency of workers,” she added.
The number of buses, the HoS added, will be scaled up to 40 in the second phase of the project.
Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Ngozi Onwudiwe, noted that the pilot phase of the scheme will commence across six routes in the FCT.
The perm sec who was represented by Uchenna Obi, Director of Federal Integrated Housing Scheme, listed the routes as: “Karu-Jikwoyi/Orozo/Karshi; AYA/Nyanya/Mararaba/Ado/Masaka; Berger/Kado/Gwagwa/Karmo; Kado Estate/Gwarimpa; Airport Road; and Kubwa/Dutse Alhaji”.
Chief Executive Officer of FEMADEC Group, Fola Akinnola, highlighted that the initiative to provide the buses started in 2019 when the Federal Government moved to switch from petrol-powered cars to gas-powered cars.
He added that the buses which will run on CNG come at a critical time when Nigeria is battling with the rising cost of diesel.
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