Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Government through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has commissioned 100 Renewed Hope Mass Transit Electric Buses dedicated to Federal Civil Servants nationwide, in a major intervention to ease transportation costs and boost productivity in the Public Service.
The commissioning ceremony held in Abuja on Wednesday featured the handover of the first batch of 37 locally assembled electric buses, with the remaining 63 expected to be deployed in phases.
In her remarks,Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack,
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, described the commissioning as her “parting gift” to the Service as her tenure comes to an end in 24 hours.
“To God be all the glory. I could not have asked for a more fitting note on which to close this chapter of service than receiving and handing over the keys to something that will keep moving, keep working, long after I have gone home,” she said.
She noted that the intervention was a practical demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“Transport is about far more than moving people. For many civil servants, the daily commute shakes their finances, their safety, their punctuality, and ultimately their productivity.
“An intervention that makes transportation safer, more reliable, and more affordable is therefore not a peripheral welfare gesture. It is an investment in a more productive Civil Service.”
Walson-Jack revealed that the acquisition of these buses was funded through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, said the buses align with Mr. President’s vision of pairing economic reforms with direct welfare relief.
“What we are launching today is more than buses. It is about welfare. It is about productivity.
“It is about industrialisation. It is about translating the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible benefits that Nigerians can see and experience,” the Minister stated.
He added that the government is pursuing a dual-fuel future with CNG and Electric Vehicles as the pathway for Nigeria’s automotive sector.
Enoh framed the programme within President Tinubu’s Nigeria-First Industrial Vision.
“A country of more than 200 million people cannot continue to export the economic opportunities created by its domestic demand.
“The vehicles that move Nigerians represent an enormous industrial opportunity.”
He disclosed that through National Automobile Design and Development Council, the Ministry is working to ensure buses, cars and mobility solutions are “produced by Nigerian factories, employing Nigerian workers and creating Nigerian industrial capacity.”
“When we support a credible Nigerian manufacturer, we are not simply buying a vehicle.
“We are supporting factories, creating jobs, developing engineers and technicians, and keeping more economic value within Nigeria.”
The Minister charged manufacturers to “invest in factories, deepen local content, develop Nigerian talent and demonstrate that Made in Nigeria can compete with the best anywhere in the world.”
He further stated that Nigeria must not be late to the global EV transition.
“We must build capacity here. Our manufacturers must progressively manufacture electric vehicles locally.
“Our engineers must understand battery technology, power electronics and software. Our universities must produce the skills this industry requires.”
Giving the technical details of these buses, Oluwemimo Osanipin, Director General of NADDC, said each bus would accommodate up to 100 passengers, adding that the electric bus would maintain a range of minimum of 200 kilometers on a full charge as well as 40% lower maintenance cost compared to PMS/AGO vehicles.
He added that buses are environmentally friendly with zero tailpipe emissions, noting that all buses are 100% Made in Nigeria, under the “Nigeria First” Policy.
Responding on behalf of Federal Civil Servants, Comrade Daniel Danjuma, Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Daniel Danjuma Chairman Joint National Negotiating Council,expressed gratitude to the OHCSF and Federal Government.
“On behalf of the workers of the Federal Civil Service, we sincerely thank the Office of the Head of Civil Service.
“Mobility is one of the key enablers of national development. We thank you for providing these buses for us. We also pray that adequate arrangements have been made to maintain them accordingly,” he said.
The OHCSF outlined a sustainability plan for the buses including: transparent and equitable route allocation, regular maintenance schedules, qualified drivers, passenger safety, cleanliness, and effective monitoring.
END
