Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has distributed the second batch of 655 Tricycles, popularly known as Keke Napep and 154 commercial Buses as it’s Economic Empowerment Programme, which is targeted at reducing the rate of unemployment as well as improvement of transport system in the state.
The State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed while addressing the beneficiaries in the state on Thursday at the premises of the State Department Board in Bauchi, said that distribution of the Tricycles and Commercial Buses is the fulfillment of the campaign promises he made to the people of the state who voted the People Democratic Party (PDP) into power.
The governor also said the distribution of the vehicles was part of his administration’s readiness to give citizens the opportunity to participate in more viable economic activities for self reliance.
He added that the distribution is also aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and enforce the National Center for Disease control protocol of Social distancing, especially in the transportation sector.
Today, Thursday, the 3rd of December, 2020 is very important for me as your elected Governor who has promised to serve you, hence to express my gratitude to Almighty Allah for making it possible to Commission and distribute these two vital economic tools for the benefit of our teeming number of beneficiaries, their families and the general public.”
“The combined projects of Keke Napep and Commercial Motor vehicles I am going to Commission now were executed under the umbrella of what the planners termed and called Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme(KEEP 2020).
While commissioning the two projects, Governor Bala Mohammed said the 3rd components of disbursing interest free commercial loans to traders and artisans in the state is at concluding stage.
According to him, under the programme, money in cash will be released to the leadership of the traders through the Ministry of Cooperatives to arrange, disburse and recover same at the appropriate time.
“The same Ministry is now recovering what was disbursed by the previous administration for further release to fresh beneficiaries as revolving scheme.”
The governor said the three components of the programme became a necessary alternative for the state government to create, initiate and open more avenues for the empowerment of unemployed youths.
“Since Government cannot accommodate all its workers, room for private sector driven activities needs to be expanded.”
“With today’s ceremony, our streets will be busier with number of Keke Napep and our motor parks will be in activities for an improved transport opportunity
“This promise that we have made, we have done it collectively.We must empower people and recognize contribution. I recognize the vantage and auspicious position of the transport sector, especially the transport union.There is no politican that will disregard the transport union in a bid to actualise his aspirations”
“This is what i have been able to do when I was in the federal government through my boss, the president of that time, president GoodLuck Jonathan, to recognize the vantage position of this union and provide them with transportation at a subsidize rate.I hope the goverment of the day will borrow from that, because doing that is just making sure that you provide for those who are making impact in the lives of the majority of the people”
“The gesture is aimed at providing employment and reducing poverty. The government is providing 1,000 Keke Napep and we have earlier provided 355 and now we are providing 655.As for the vehicles, it is not certain the number that will be provided at the end of my tenure as this is just the beginning.We have a very large state and they are the carriers of our goodwill”
Also Speaking, the State Commissioner of the Ministry of Cooperative and SME Development, Modibbo Ahmed said that the Governor has kept his campaign promises to the people of the state by providing the 1,000 Tricycles and Commercial Buses, pointing out that the gesture is to ensure that the youths become self-reliant and employers of labour.
In his address, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, Ismael Abdullahi commended the state government for the gesture, saying that he will ensure that the beneficiaries make remittances on the Keke Napep and the commercial Buses.
In their separate remarks, the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Y Sulaiman and State Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Hamza Koshe Akuyam applauded Governor Bala Mohammed for fulfilling most of his campaign promises especially in the area of empowerment. END
