The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, on Monday declared free transportation services for management and staff of the ministry.
Mr. Amaechi, who made the offer during an interactive session with staff of the ministry said the decision was to help ameliorate the challenges faced by the workers in the discharge of their civic duties.
“Knowing the background I come from, I felt that you people are spending more money having to transport yourselves to work and I’m surprised that they are collecting money from you for those buses,” the minister said.
He, therefore, directed the permanent secretary in the ministry to ensure bus services are henceforth made free of charge for the workers.
Continuing, he the minister said, “We’ll increase the number of staff buses, fuel and maintain them ourselves.”
To improve on service delivery, he said training and retraining of personnel will be given top priority.
“We would devise a means of training and retraining our staff, be it locally or internationally; and it will be according to our resources,” he said.
The minister also directed the permanent secretary to liaise with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to post doctors to the ministry ahead of the establishing of a medical centre for the staff of the ministry.
“Let us get the NYSC to post to the ministry at least two doctors, so we can ascertain the cost of establishing a clinic for our staff. This will enable those who fall ill to get free treatment,” he said.
Mr. Amaechi said henceforth, provision of laptops for engineers will be included in the ministry’s budget.
Also speaking, the Minister for State, Transport, Gbemisola Saraki, assured the workers of a smooth working relationship, stating that she would work together with Mr. Amaechi to improve on their welfare.
“Whatever the minister (Amaechi) had been doing I will follow suit. I will always be behind him and I will do my best to ensure we do what will promote staff welfare,” she said.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary, Sabiu Zakari said the essence of the interactive session was to have a better understanding of the operations of the two ministers.
He enjoined the staff to provide support to the ministers to achieve the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“The purpose of this interactive session is to have a better understanding of the ministers. It is an opportunity for us to air our views and to understand what they (Ministers) want us to do in this second term of Mr. President.
“It is our hope that as we gave our support to the Hon. Minister of Transportation during the first tenure, we’ll give even more this second term,” Mr. Zakari said.
