To cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on residents of Borno State and across Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday, December 11, 2023, launched 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.
Speaking during the ceremony, President Tinubu commended the state governor, Babagana Zulum for his foresight and people-oriented policies and projects. “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,” he said.
In his speech, Governor Zulum said that the provision of mass transit vehicles for the people of Borno State was in line with President Tinubu’s directive to state governors to provide palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal. He said, “Mr President, after you announced the subsidy removal and your consequent directive to governors to provide immediate palliative, in Borno State we decided to invest massively in a mass transit scheme.”
The governor further stated that the deployment of the 50 electric taxis was the first of its kind in Nigeria and was in line with the realities of climate change. Other public mass transit vehicles the President inaugurated included were 35 coaster buses, 12 Hummer buses and 10 luxurious buses.
President Tinubu’s visit to Maiduguri for the event marked his first official visit to Borno State as the President of Nigeria.
He also paid a courtesy call to the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El-Kanemi, as well as declared open the annual Chief of Army Staff Conference.
Source: Nairametrics
