By Ayoni M. Agbabiaka
Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo on Tuesday commissioned Federal Capital Territory (FCT) SURE-P, Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company Limited(AUMTCO), modern high-capacity buses at the Eagle’s Square.
Sambo, while performing the commissioning ceremony, commended the FCT Administration (FCTA) for being people-oriented and practising the transformation agenda of the federal government while commissioning the 100 buses.
He said the Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, “is an action minister who keeps to promises made in enhancing public transportation in the FCT.”
He noted that the FCTA was making “these buses available following the recent ban on mini-buses in the Federal Capital City.”
He said: “These new buses would go a long way in ameliorating the transportation problems of the residents of the FCT, especially the majority of workers living at the satellite towns.”
In his remarks, the minister said the event fulfilled the pledge he made to the residents before the vice-president last year.
Mohammed said the administration would not relent in its efforts to build and administer a capital city in compliance with the Abuja Master Plan, “through the establishment of an effective and enduring service oriented administration that can respond to the needs and aspirations of all residents and stakeholders.”
He said the buses would assist in the realisation of short-time target of reducing travel time to 20 minutes and transport between 1.2 million to two million commuters from all entrances into the city and from the city to most satellite towns by 2015.
He said: “The FCT Administration is working tirelessly to ensure a timely completion of the Abuja metropolitan rail transport network, Lots 1A and 3 which are at over 50 per cent completion.
“The launch of additional 100 high capacity buses into the fleet of the Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company marks another milestone in our quest to make public transportation safer, more comfortable and more accessible.”
He placed it on record that AUMTCO, SURE-P and Yutong Hongkong Company made the delivery of these buses possible as the FCT Administration made 40% payment on the buses with another 10 per cent totalling 50 per cent.
The minister added that the remaining 50 per cent would be defrayed through the business plan and cash flow of AUMTCO over agreed timeline of 2 years because Yutong Hongkong Company has given the FCTA a loan with a three per cent interest rate.
He said the high-capacity buses were fitted with essential security apparatus to make them safe, air-conditioned to make them comfortable and electronic payment system “to make convenient them for our commuters.”
Managing Director, AUMTCO, Mr. Abdulrazaq Oniyangi, in his welcome address, promised to make the company live up to its billing by providing international standard services to the residents.
