The Nigerian Government has unveiled 100 modern electric mass transit buses for federal Civil Servants working in the Federal Capital Territory to ease the transportation burden on them.
The outgoing Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack Commissioned the buses in Abuja, Nigeria, noting that, the move is another practical step of the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of Federal Civil Servants, nationwide.
Walson-Jack said transport is far more than just moving people from one place to another, but a restoration of hours once lost, ends haggles over fares, and eases the burden on salaries that already carry too many demands.
According to her, the intervention is not just a peripheral welfare gesture, but an investment in a more productive Civil Service, that makes transportation safer, more reliable and more affordable.
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“The initiative is a direct response to the cost-of-living pressures facing public servants, for whom daily commuting has become one of the heaviest recurring household expenses.”
“This initiative is my parting gift to my dearly beloved Federal Civil Servants. I wouldn’t have asked for a more fitting note on which to close this chapter of service than receiving and handing over the keys to something that’ll keep moving,.keep working, long after I had gone home.
Walson-Jack emphasised that the buses are visible assurances that the government understands the daily realities of its workforce and is prepared to work on that understanding.
“They show that the Renewed Hope Agenda lives not only in policy documents, but in interventions that Civil Servants can see, board and feel the benefit of everything alongside the upward review of the National Minimum Wage, wage award, the removal of the fuel subsidy, the ease of service, and digitalisation drive and the renewed attention to pension, promotions, employee compensation and health insurance.
The Head of Service disclosed that it was made possible through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund, which demonstrates the commitment of the President to translating the renewed hope agenda into practical benefits.
“It is a thread in the same commitment that reform must be felt, not merely announced,” she added.
Broader Vision
The Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment, John Eno said the initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader vision for Nigeria.
Eno said the President understands that reforms must have a human face.
“Behind every economic statistic is a Nigerian family. Behind every government policy are workers who must travel to their offices every morning, provide for their families and continue to serve their country,” Eno said.
The Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Garba Sume said the provision of the buses was not just merely about transportation, but an investment in the wellbeing, punctuality and productivity of the workforce.
“This event is another reaffirmation of the Federal government’s commitment to creating a more productive, responsive and welfare-oriented working environment for our federal Civil servants,” Sume said.
“It’s a great legacy you’re leaving behind. Posterity and. Service will never forget you.”
The Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, Oluwemimo Osanipin said the buses were assembled in Nigeria to encourage the Nigeria First Policy of the Renewed Hope Agenda that demands that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies patronise locally assembled vehicles.
“The buses were designed with Nigerians in mind,” Osanipin said.
