In a bid to tackle the surge in transportation costs following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, the states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe have taken significant steps to address the situation.
In Borno, Governor Babagana Zulum approved the allocation of 50 buses to alleviate the transportation challenge.
These buses will be incorporated into the existing fleet of the state-owned transport outfit, Borno Express Corporation.
Additionally, 30 vans have been provided to offer free rides for farmers residing within Maiduguri, transporting them to the outskirts where their farmlands are situated.
Moving to Adamawa, the state government has established a special committee, led by Dr. Amos Edgar, Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.
The committee has outlined a plan to purchase shuttle buses at subsidized rates, benefiting both workers and inter-local government transportation.
Furthermore, the government has approved a monthly subsidy of N10,000 for all workers and pensioners.
Meanwhile, in Yobe, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Mohammed Goje, announced plans to introduce free transportation services for students and civil servants.
The state government is working diligently to make this initiative a reality soon.
Praising the efforts of the state governments, passengers like Mustapha Abdullahi, a University of Maiduguri student, and Ali Modu, a government worker, expressed their gratitude for the intervention.
They commended the Borno Express buses for charging only N50 for a ride from Post Office to the University of Maiduguri, as opposed to the N150 charged by taxis and tricyclists.
These measures taken by the state governments demonstrate their commitment to providing affordable transportation options and easing the burden on the citizens during this period of fuel subsidy removal.
