National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
The federal government has kicked off a free train ride initiative nationwide to alleviate the financial burden of transportation on passengers during the yuletide season. This move aims to provide relief to travelers across the country.
Ben Iloanusi, the acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), welcomed the first batch of passengers at the Kubwa train station in Abuja, arriving from Rigasa. However, concerns regarding safety were raised on the inaugural day of the ride. Iloanusi assured that the Corporation is taking proactive measures to address the security concerns voiced by passengers.
Speaking further, Iloanusi revealed that “the free ride will accommodate 20,000 passengers on a daily basis as the federal government is estimating to provide free ride to 340,000 passengers before the free ride initiative expires in the first week of January.” The free train ride will operate in five key locations: Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, Warri-Itakpe, Portharcourt/Aba, and Lagos Mass Transit.
To prevent racketeering, Iloanusi explained that “The portal has been up and running and measures have been put in place to prevent people from buying multiple tickets.”
