The administration of Abdullahi Ganduje, the Kano State governor, over the weekend kick-started a public transportation enhancing scheme, with a multibillion investment in the acquisition of 100 buses and 50 cabs.
The initiative which is being implemented in phases is geared at addressing the shortage of public transportation that is putting g pressure on effective commuting by the residents of the state.
Under the first stage of the project which was officially flagged off on Sunday in the business city of Kano, the 100 buses and 50 cabs are to meet the growing demand for affordable public transport along the Jogana- Yankura -Janguza in the metropolis.
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In his address, while commissioning the project, Abdullahi Ganduje, said: that the project was designed to enhance public transportation as a way of complementing the economic development of the state.
He said the construction and extension of the roads, flyovers, and underpasses in the state, would go a long way in positioning the state as commercially viable.
“To ensure effective and sustainable benefits of the investment and functional transport, the infrastructure needs to be provided for an efficient mass transit system that will fit into the new prolific city, like Kano.
“Hitherto, the absence of efficient mass transit led to the proliferation of Tricycles, as the main public means of transportation within the metropolitan city. The consequences of the situation resulted in traffic congestion, which has hit has hit critical level, while the security of lives and property is becoming a great source of concern”, he pointed out.
In addition, Ganduje disclosed that the project which is tagged ‘ Kanawa bus service ‘ is commencing operations on a pilot basis, with the 100 high-capacity buses, which were procured at the cost of N2.5 billion.
According to him, the service was designed to be operated by a private operator, so as to ensure efficiency and accountability, as well as for effective management on a public-private partnership arrangement, adding that the additional 200 buses are expected to be provided in the next year’s budget, so as to cover other corridors.
“To achieve this objective, we have directed the state investmentand properties limited to invest in the new taxis and rent it on hire purchase to the members of the Tricycle associations, of the buses/cabs.
“This component of the scheme will be revolving until all the corridors are fully covered by this service.”
Earlier, the Chairman of the organizing committee, Rabiu Bichi, who expressed appreciation to the Governor for presenting the buses, urged stakeholders to take the project to the desired stage.
He said eight local government areas within the metropolis will observe the pilot take-off of the service while calling on investors to key into the developmental initiative”, he explained.
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