The Federal Government has inaugurated 100 Renewed Hope Mass Transit electric buses to provide safer, more affordable and reliable transportation for federal civil servants nationwide.
The outgoing Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, disclosed this at the inauguration of the buses in Abuja on Wednesday.
Walson-Jack said the initiative represented a practical demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of civil servants.
She said 37 of the 100 electric buses had been delivered as the first instalment of the project.
”For me, it is a dream come true. This inauguration is providentially my parting gift to my dearly beloved federal civil servants,” she said.
The HCSF, whose tenure ends on Thursday, said she could not have asked for a more fitting way to end her service than to receive and hand over the keys to an initiative that would continue to benefit civil servants after her exit.
She expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his support for the initiative and the transformation of the Federal Civil Service.
She said transportation went beyond moving people from one location to another, noting that daily commuting affected the finances, safety, punctuality and productivity of civil servants.
”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,” she said.
Walson-Jack said the buses would ease the financial burden on workers and reduce the risks associated with daily commuting.
According to her, the initiative demonstrates that the Renewed Hope Agenda is being translated into practical interventions that workers can directly experience.
“The acquisition of the buses is made possible through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund.”
She described the intervention as evidence of the administration’s commitment to translating the Renewed Hope Agenda into tangible benefits for Nigerians.
She commended the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, for his support and for undertaking the symbolic handover of the buses.
The Head of Service of the Federation also commended the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Joseph Osanipin, and his team for their collaboration in ensuring that the buses were developed in line with the objectives of the national automotive policy.
She said staff welfare remained fundamental to public service reform, adding that a supported and motivated workforce would be better positioned to serve the nation with commitment, professionalism and excellence.
Walson-Jack, urged civil servants to take good care of the buses provided by the government, describing the initiative as valuable assets provided for their benefit.
”My dearly beloved civil servants, treat these buses as your own personal assets. They are assets that have been provided for you all,” she said.
Earlier, Enoh had described the inauguration as a significant milestone in the federal government’s efforts to improve the welfare of civil servants.
He said the deployment of the electric buses would contribute to easing transportation challenges faced by workers while supporting the government’s broader sustainability and development objectives.
He also said that the buses were part of the administration’s efforts to translate its policies into practical interventions that directly impacted the lives of Nigerians.
He commended Walson-Jack for her contributions to the federal civil service and wished her well as she concluded her tenure as the HCSF.
The minister said the first 37 buses would serve as the initial phase of the 100-bus project, with the remaining buses expected to be deployed as planned.
