President Bola Tinubu on Monday inaugurated 50 four-seater electric taxis and 57 other gas-powered mass transit vehicles purchased by the Borno State Government to provide cheap transportation within the state and reduce the dependence on fossil fuel.
While speaking at the ceremony, President Tinubu commended the state governor, Babagana Zulum for his foresight and people-oriented policies and projects.
The president said:“Your Excellency (Governor Zulum)… this is exactly ‘Hope Renewed’. Thank you for your good job always. Thank you once again for being innovative and creative; and for your concern about your people and the good governance you provide.
“We are going to take advantage of your foresight and proactiveness to at the sub-national level be able to start assembly plants and add more value to the economy and bring economic prosperity to our people. You (Zulum) are doing a good job, thank you very much.”
In his speech, Governor Zulum said that the provision of mass transit vehicles for the people of Borno State was in line with President Tinubu’s directive to state governors to provide palliative to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.
“Mr President, after you announced the subsidy removal and your consequent directive to governors to provide immediate palliative, in Borno State we decided to invest massively in a mass transit scheme,” Gov. Zulum said.
The governor further stated that the deployment of the 50 electric taxis was the first of its kind in Nigeria and was in line with the realities of climate change.
