President Bola Tinubu has declared that the Abuja Rail Mass Transit, popularly known as the Metro Line, will offer free rides to the public until the end of the year. This announcement was made on Wednesday during the presidential flag-off of the Abuja light rail, an event commemorating his first year in office.

Speaking at the event, President Tinubu praised the efforts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, for his dedication to completing the project. Tinubu lauded Wike, often referred to as “Mr. Project,” for his commitment to delivering the Metro Line.

“Our dear landlord and his team, I heard you saying two months free ride. I appeal to you to make it till the end of the year free ride, since today you are not going to charge me. Let me give the people hope and reason to celebrate,” President Tinubu remarked.

The President emphasized that the launch of the Metro Line is a testament to his administration’s commitment to fulfilling its promises. “Today, what we have in the FCT is another piece of evidence that we are a government that delivers on promises. I observe keenly other milestones that this administration has achieved especially in the areas of social services and other public utilities,” he added.

Initially, Minister Wike had announced on May 23 that the facility would offer a two-month free ride to Nigerians. However, with President Tinubu’s intervention, this period has been extended to the end of the year.

The Abuja Metro Line, developed in six phases, was funded through loans from the China EXIM Bank. Although the project was initially commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari on July 12, 2018, it faced operational challenges and was eventually halted due to vandalism.

This renewed effort to make the Metro Line operational and accessible is expected to provide significant relief to commuters and contribute to the overall development of the FCT.

Credit: ChannelsTV

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