Commissioner reveals Delta will take delivery of 50 new compressed natural gas-powered buses within a five-month timeframe

n n

The Delta State Government says it will receive 50 Compressed Natural Gas buses within the next four to five months as part of efforts to introduce a mass transit system across the state.

n

The Commissioner for Transport, Mr Onoriode Agofure, disclosed this during a media briefing on Thursday, saying the procurement process had begun following Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s approval of the project.

n

Agofure said the buses would provide residents with a cheaper, safer and more comfortable means of transportation on inter-city routes and within the Asaba metropolis.

n

According to him, the government has already identified the routes the buses will operate on to ensure efficient service when the scheme begins.

n

He described the 50 buses as the pilot phase of the programme, adding that more buses would be acquired if the initiative proves successful.

n

“The approval of the 50 buses will be implemented within four to five months. These buses are meant to convey people from one point to another, providing a cheap, affordable, safe and comfortable means of transportation within the state,” he said.

n

The commissioner added that the government was constructing modern bus terminals in Asaba and Warri to support the operation of the mass transit scheme and improve public transport infrastructure.

n

He said policies and legal frameworks were also being put in place to ensure the programme remained sustainable beyond the current administration.

n

Agofure noted that the initiative would create jobs for drivers, ticketing officers, cleaners and traders operating within the terminals while boosting economic activities across the state.

n

He added that although the scheme would initially focus on road transportation in upland communities, the government planned to extend the service to riverine areas in the future.

n

Also speaking, the Director of Vehicle Inspection Services, Engr. Vincent Ehiwario, commended Governor Oborevwori and the Commissioner for Transport for reforms in the transport sector.

n

He said the reforms include automated vehicle inspections, road safety awareness campaigns and plans to review transport laws to strengthen electronic enforcement and improve traffic management across the state.

n n