Civil servants working in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed delight over the Federal Civil Service Bus Scheme provided by the Federal Government.
The workers made their feelings known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday as the buses began operation. They said the buses will ease their transportation burden.
NAN reports that the federal government, through the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), recently inaugurated the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme with 20 buses to convey civil servants working in FCT and its environs to and from work.
Mrs Emmanuela Kalu, a civil servant, said the expectations of such gesture were long overdue, adding that it would reduce the challenges being faced by workers in the area of transportation.
According to Kalu, she has been finding it difficult to get to the office on time since her car was stolen along Jikwoyi road.
“The scheme is a big relief to us on our route in particular. I used to spend a lot on transportation when coming and going back home because of lack of buses directly from the city centre to Jikwoyi area.
“With these buses, there is a big relief from the stress I pass through every day and I pray the scheme should be sustained,” Kalu said.
Mrs Elizabeth Elijah, a civil servant said she was happy with the action of the federal government to ease the plight of workers.
Elijah, however, said the buses were few and not adequate to serve the number of people living in the FCT as well as other suburbs.
While commending the head of service, he appealed that the scheme should not just operate within a period of one year as was the case previously.
“It is a welcome development but my fear is its sustainability.”
Miss Ngozi Abia, a student, who saw one of the buses pick workers at one of the designated bus stops, appealed to the federal government to also consider the transportation challenges being faced by students in the city.
“I love the scheme and I want the federal government to also include students in such gesture, I promise you, we will appreciate the government because we suffer so much, especially during rainy season,” Abia appealed.
The buses powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), will ply six routes: Karu–Jikwoyi–Orozo–Karshi (route one); AYA–Nyanya–Mararaba–Ado–Masaka (route two); and Berger–Kado–Gwagwa–Karmo (route three).
Others are Kado Estate–Gwarimpa (route four), Airport Road (route five) and Kubwa–Dutse Alhaji (route six).
