President Bola Tinubu has commissioned a fleet of 107 gas and electric-powered buses as well as taxis in the second phase of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s metro transport scheme.
The scheme, according to the state government, is aimed at cushioning the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on the citizens.
The commissioning ceremony took place around the Shehu of Borno’s Palace in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Monday, December 11, 2023.
President Tinubu, who was in Maiduguri for the 2023 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference, commended Governor Zulum for the initiative.
Tinubu said: “Your Excellency (Governor Zulum), this is exactly ‘Hope Renewed’. Thank you for your good job always.
“Thank you, once again, for being innovative and creative, for your concern about your people and the good governance you provide.
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“We are going to take advantage of your foresight and proactiveness to at the sub-national level be able to start assembly plants and add more value to the economy and bring economic prosperity to our people.
“You (Zulum) are doing a good job, thank you very much.”
On his part, Governor Zulum said: “Mr President, after you announced the subsidy removal and your consequent directive to the governors to provide immediate palliative, in Borno State, we decided to invest massively in a mass transit scheme.”
Each of the 107 vehicles was converted to use electricity and gas to enable low-cost energy sources and provide cheap transportation for citizens most of whom are recovering from the destruction caused by the over one decade of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The new fleet of buses comprised 35 units of 30-seater gas-powered coaster buses, 12 units of 15-seater gas-powered Hummer buses, 10 units of 50-seater gas-powered mass transit buses, and 50 units of four-seater electric-powered taxi vehicles.
