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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has moved to ease the transportation burden on civil servants with the rollout of 100 electric buses, beginning with a 10-bus pilot scheme on selected routes.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Olumuyiwa Abel, announced this recently while inaugurating a nine-member Pilot Implementation Committee for the Renewed Hope Mass Transit Bus Scheme for Federal Civil Servants.
Abel described the initiative as a practical demonstration of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare, reducing transportation costs and creating an enabling environment for greater productivity.
He charged the committee to ensure that the pilot scheme takes off without delay, stressing that bureaucratic bottlenecks must not frustrate a programme designed to improve the welfare of civil servants.
According to him, the initial deployment of 10 electric buses would provide the practical experience needed to fine-tune the scheme before the remaining 90 buses are deployed.
The HCSF said: “The pilot phase of the scheme would commence with 10 electric buses operating on selected routes, ahead of the full deployment of the 100 buses.”
He tasked the committee to bring urgency, transparency, innovation and accountability to the implementation of the scheme.
The committee is expected to develop a comprehensive implementation framework, identify suitable routes, establish a transparent enrolment and payment system, recommend affordable fares and ensure adequate safety, security and accessibility.
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The HCSF also specifically directed that the needs of persons living with disabilities be taken into consideration in the design and operation of the transportation system.
Abel expressed appreciation to the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Otunba Oluwemimo Osanipin, and his management team for their collaboration on the initiative.
He said the pilot scheme would ultimately help establish a sustainable staff transportation model across the Federal Public Service.
The committee is chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Abdul Garba; Nura Umar, representing NADDC, serves as co-chairperson, while Chinyere Nwosu serves as the committee’s member-secretary.
Other members are Joy Baderin, Director, IMD; Emmanuel Agodi, Deputy Director, EIR; Gbenga Olowoyo, representative of JNPSNC; Joke Onireti of NADDC; Bright Idehenre of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund and Bimbo Ayere of NADDC.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Garba thanked the HCSF for the confidence reposed in its members and pledged to work with all stakeholders to deliver an efficient, safe, transparent and sustainable transportation system for federal civil servants.
The electric buses were launched and commissioned on August 26, under the Renewed Hope Transit Programme, paving the way for the pilot scheme and eventual deployment of the full fleet.
The implementation of the scheme is expected to offer civil servants a more affordable and sustainable commuting option, while providing the government with a model for expanding staff transportation across the Federal Public Service.
