Thirty new commercial vehicles have been procured by the Bauchi state government for its transportation agency, the Yankari Express Corporation in its drive to improve transportation,enhance mobility, and improve the revenue generation of the state.
The State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. Titus Saul Ketkukah who commissioned the new vehicles, commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his commitment to improving the welfare of residents through strategic investments in public transportation.
Prof. Ketkukah explained that the state government approved the purchase of 30 vehicles comprising 25 buses and 5 saloon cars to strengthen the operations of Yankari Express and meet the growing transportation needs of the people.
Ketkukah disclosed that the first consignment delivered to the state consists of 12 vehicles, comprising of 10 Toyota Hiace 18-seater buses and 2 Peugeot 406 saloon cars, while the remaining 18 vehicles are expected to arrive the state soon.
The commissioner said, “We had requested a total of 30 vehicles comprising 25 buses and 5 saloon cars. What we are receiving today is the first consignment. This initial batch consists of 10 buses and 2 saloon cars already delivered to the state”.
Prof. Ketkukah stated that his ministry had drawn the governor’s attention to the increasing transportation challenges across communities and institutions in the state, stressing the need for additional vehicles to improve service delivery.
“We highlighted the need for more vehicles for Yankari Express to cater for our growing population. The government also considered the transportation needs of students attending tertiary institutions across the state and organisations that rely on dependable transport services”.
He added, “Today,we are delighted that these concerns have been heard and addressed.
Meanwhile, this development demonstrates the responsiveness of Governor Bala Mohammed’s administration and its unwavering commitment to meeting the basic needs of the people”.
Ketkukah recalled that at a time when private commercial transport fares from Bauchi to Abuja surged to over N20,000, Yankari Express maintained its fare at about N9,000 for the same distance, revealing that the corporation adopted similar approach on other routes, underscoring its commitment to providing affordable transportation services to citizens.
The commissioner assured persengers or commuters that the arrival of the remaining vehicles would further strengthen the corporation’s capacity to serve better within and outside the state, and urged the management and staff of Yankari to ensure proper utilisation and maintenance of vehicles to guarantee long-term service delivery.
“The performance of the management team has been commendable, and the people are satisfied with their efforts. As the government continues to provide support for the growth of this corporation, we expect even greater achievements in the future,” Ketkukah further stated.
The General Manager of Yankari Express Corporation, Engr. Babaji Isah Yunusa has earlier in a welcome address,expressed appreciation to Governor Bala Mohammed for approving the purchase of the vehicles.
Engr. Yunusa explained that the acquisition of the vehicles was in response to the increasing demand for transportation services and the corporation’s request for additional vehicles to expand its operations to other parts of the country.
The General Manager assured the state government that the vehicles would be properly managed and deployed to improve transportation services across the state and even beyond.
He said however that some of the buses would be dedicated to transporting students of tertiary institutions across the state, including Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP), Sa’adu Zungur University, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), among others.
According to him, the move would help ease transportation challenges faced by students while improving access to education and other essential services, and pledged the corporation’s continued commitment to ensuring safe, affordable, and reliable transportation for the people.
