Ekiti deploys CNG buses to cut transport fares by 50% - Punch Newspapers
Governor Biodun Oyebanji inspecting the buses during the official flag-off of 15 CNG buses at the premises of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency in Ado-Ekiti.
The Ekiti State Government has commenced the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas buses as part of measures to reduce transport fares by 50 per cent and ease the burden of transportation costs on residents. Governor Biodun Oyebanji announced the initiative on Thursday during the official flag-off of 15 CNG buses at the premises of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency in Ado-Ekiti. The deployment, which coincided with Nigeria’s Independence Day and the 30th anniversary of Ekiti State, is part of efforts by the state government to provide affordable and accessible public transportation in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Oyebanji, who was accompanied by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said the 15 buses, donated to the state by the Federal Government, represented the pilot phase of the initiative. He said the state government would expand the fleet to ensure that more residents benefit from the intervention.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google According to the governor, reducing transportation costs remains essential to easing the economic burden on citizens. “The President charged all state Governors that by October first, we should find a way of reducing transportation cost because most of the implications we are witnessing, transportation contributes a lot to it and what we have done today is just the pilot: 15 CNG buses, which are going to be distributed to the unions, and the agency will manage it,” Oyebanji said. He urged transport unions to ensure that the benefits of the CNG buses were passed directly to commuters through reduced fares. “My appeal is to the Unions; they should allow the gains to translate to the commuters because this will reduce transportation cost by 50 percent,” he said. Oyebanji also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the Federal Government’s intervention, saying the provision of the buses would contribute significantly to reducing the transportation burden on residents. The governor further said the administration’s economic policies had created opportunities for states to implement programmes and projects that directly affect the lives of citizens. “No matter how visionary a leader is, if there are no resources to work with, it will just stay in the realm of a vision,” Oyebanji said. “But the President has been helping and supporting us not only in Ekiti State but in all the states in the country to translate our vision into action and impacts for the people.” Speaking on the deployment, the Director-General of the Ekiti State Transportation Agency, Tajudeen Akingbolu, said routes had already been mapped out for the CNG buses. He said the buses would operate on routes linking Ado-Ekiti with Lagos, Ibadan, Onitsha and Abuja. Akingbolu said the initiative would provide residents with more affordable and reliable interstate transportation while reducing the impact of high transport fares on commuters. The state government said it would continue to explore measures aimed at reducing transportation costs and improving access to affordable public transportation across Ekiti State. Gilbert Ekugbe Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.
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