Tinubu addresses Nigerians, assures of 3,000 CNG-fuelled buses for mass transit

*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addresses Nigerians Monday, July 31, 2023, disclosing the Federal Government government has made provision to invest N100 billion between now and March 2024 for the purchase of 3000 units of 20-seater buses running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

President Bola Tinubu addresses Nigerians Monday, July 31, 2023, at 7.00p.m.

President Bola Tinubu has promised to roll out buses across the states and local governments for mass transit at a much more affordable rate.

He said his government has made provision to invest N100 billion between now and March 2024 for the purchase of 3000 units of 20-seater buses running on compressed natural gas (CNG).

This is part of some palliatives the President disclosed during a national broadcast on Monday to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians.
According to Tinubu, “these buses will be shared to major transportation companies in the states, using the intensity of travel per capital.”

Mr. Dele Alake, Special Adviser (SA) to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, had earlier said: “Television, radio stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast.”

It was learnt though the agenda for the national broadcast was not yet known as earlier Monday, it is assumed it might not be unconnected with the current socio-economic realities millions of Nigerian consumers are  experiencing over the removal of subsidy on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol.

There appears to be no respite for Nigerians since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his inaugural speech May 29, 2023, announced the removal of petrol subsidy.

With the announcement, the pump price of a litre of petrol rose from N184 to N500.

Reports indicated two months later, the price jumped from N500 to about N617-N800 in several places earlier this month, eliciting criticisms from economically stranded citizens.

Recently, Nigeria’s headline inflation also rose to 22.79 percent June this year from the 22.41 percent recorded May 2023 amid soaring food prices and rising cost of transportation occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.

The unprecedented fuel prices come amid the floating of the Naira by the Tinubu administration.

As the economy bites harder, the Tinubu administration announced its plan to pay 12 million “vulnerable” households N8,000 subsidy palliative for six months.

However, cross-sections of Nigerians, interest groups and organisations have criticised especially the “amount” of the palliative measure.

The Federal Government has since ordered a review of the post-subsidy removal palliative plan.

In a related development in the economy, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has been on a strike over a number of demands from the authorities.

The Organised Labour under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) also have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse “all anti-poor” people policies, including the latest increases in the prices of petrol across the country.

The Labour Unions as well have rejected the subsidy removal palliative the Tinubu administration is proposing, threatening to begin a nationwide protest cum strike from Wednesday, August 2, 2023, if the Federal Government fails resolve outstanding issues with them.

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