Provide CNG Buses for MDAs, Civil Servants, Activist Urges Tinubu

Comrade Bamidele Atoyebi, convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently supply Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). This initiative aims to mitigate the escalating cost of transportation and alleviate the economic strain on civil servants.

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transportation costs were consuming a significant portion of their salaries.

Atoyebi's appeal stems from recent interactions with federal workers in Abuja, which highlighted the severe transportation challenges they face. He recounted meeting staff at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) who expressed that commuting costs were significantly impacting their earnings. One employee from Kuje described the daily journey as increasingly unaffordable, while an Assistant Director noted that even car ownership was becoming impractical due to fuel prices.

Inspired by these encounters, Atoyebi proposed providing CNG buses, initially for junior staff at the NBC and later extending to senior employees. He also intends to formally request these buses for NBC workers from managerial level and below from the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative.

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the cost of fuel had made it difficult for her to drive to work.

Further reinforcing his proposal, Atoyebi spoke with the Chief Medical Director of a military hospital who echoed similar concerns about staff transportation difficulties. The director appealed for assistance, stating that staff salaries were barely sufficient for basic needs. A third instance involved a worker near the Senate building seeking financial aid for travel.

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their salaries were barely sufficient to meet their basic needs.

These experiences led Atoyebi to reference an earlier proposal by Dr. David Oyedepo, who suggested measures to President Tinubu to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal by reducing transportation costs. Oyedepo argued that lower transport expenses would positively influence other economic sectors, including the cost of food, goods, and services. Atoyebi also cited recent comments by Professor Peter Kpakol on Arise TV, emphasizing the government's role in reducing transportation costs.

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lowering transportation costs would have a ripple effect on other areas of the economy because transportation influences the cost of food, goods and services.