Chief of Staff to the President,Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, says the purpose of government and the point of public service is to allow individuals in any society to pursue their God-given ambitions.
Gbajabiamila said this at the launch of 33 buses he provided to ease transportation in Surulere Federal Constituency 1 in Lagos.
Freedomonline reports that the buses, comprising high-capacity buses and medium-sized buses, were launched to provide intra-city transportation services for residents under “Gbaja Ride” welfare programme.
He said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had been fulfilling the purpose of government through its Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Chief of Staff added that the present administration had impacted so many lives with its policies and programmes since inception two years ago
He said his “Gbaja Ride” programme was a means of using instruments of government to impact the masses.
“The Gbaja Ride programme we are launching today is also a product of that determination to use the instruments of government at all levels to ease the lives of our people and empower our citizens to do more and achieve greater things.
” Access to safe, efficient and reliable public transport services is imperative in an urban environment like ours.
“Access to these services, especially for young children in school, for older people, for the less-abled and for all those who struggle with their income, can be the difference between succeeding in school or failing because of a lack of regular attendance.
“It can be the difference between being able to get to the hospital on time to receive life-saving medical assistance or dying at home alone.
“It can be the difference between getting to a job interview on time or missing the opportunity of a lifetime.
” The buses we are presenting here today will be operated in partnership with the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Agency (LAMATA) to provide free transportation to and from school for all secondary school students in the Surulere axis to ensure that our young people can get to and from school on time and in safety
” Parents in these areas no longer have to worry about providing money for transport or fear for the well-being of their wards while they are on the way to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon,’ he said
He said the buses,apart from providing free services to school children and the elderly, would also be available to other residents for intracity shuttles at a steep discount of 25 per cent of normal rates for all the routes where they would be available.
He said the buses would give priority to the elderly, pregnant women and women travelling with young children.
“I have said before and I will repeat again,building a working society is a collective responsibility requiring the joint efforts of all citizens.
“We have provided these buses and our team of dedicated young men in collaboration with our partners at LAMATA will manage this programme sustainably and effectively.
“However,ensuring this programme succeeds and endures is the collective responsibility of all the drivers ,the conductors and passengers who would use and benefit from.this programme.
“Therefore,I urge everyone to treat their buses with the same level of care and consideration you would ordinarily give to your own vehicles,” he said.
The Chief of Staff said he had already made provisions for fueling of the buses ,maintenance as well as salaries drivers for the next three months to ensure uninterrupted operations.
He thanked President Tinubu for exemplifying everything excellence and commended Gov.Banajide Sanwo-Olu for his support for the programme .
Speaking ,Rep. Fuad Laguda,lawmaker representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency , thanked Gbajabiamila for the intervention ,saying the programme would impact lives.
He said the Chief of Staff had proven yet again that leadership is all about service.
“The Chief of Staff has done it again.We are proud of him and all he is doing for Surulere.
“People always ask me ,as Chief of Staff’s successor at the House of Representatives,if I can wear his shoes.
“My reply has always been that I can’t wear his shoes and that nobody can.
In fact, his shoes are at the museum.
“But we thank the former Speaker for creating the pathway for us to do our part for the people of Surulere,” he said.
Also speaking,Mr Sulaiman Yusuf ,Chairman,Surulere Local Government, also thanked Gbajabiamila for impacting lives in Surulere.
“Our honourable Chief of Staff has done so much for the people of Surulere. He has done so many things that we cannot begin to count.
“We are proud of him as he is a blessing to us. Surulere will never forget him for the many lives he is touching “he said.
Among the dignitaries present at the event were the Managing Director of Nigeria Railway Corporation(NRC),Mr Kayode Olaifa; Special to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism,Mr Idris Aregbe and Lagos Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education,Mr Jamiu Ali-Balogun and prominent APC chieftain in the state, Mr Fouad Oki.
Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW), school children , and APC faithful were also present.
Freedomonline reports that the Chief of Staff ,together with some of the dignitaries present, later took a ride in one of the buses
