By Ignatius Ushie
Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has declared free transportation services for staff and management of the ministry.
Amaechi said the decision was to help ameliorate the challenges faced by the staff in the discharge of their civic duties.
The Minister stated this at an interactive session with staff and management of the ministry, Monday.
Amaechi said, “knowing the background I come from, I felt that you people are spending more money having to transport yourselves to work and I’m surprised that they are collecting money from you for those buses.”
Directing the Permanent Secretary to ensure the bus services are free of charge henceforth, he added, “We’ll increase the number of staff buses, fuel and maintain them ourselves.”
Amaechi further assured that to improve on service delivery, training and retraining of staff personnel will be given top priority.
“We would devise a means of training and retraining our staff, be it locally or internationally; and it will be according to our resources,” he said.
Amaechi also directed the ministry’s Permanent Secretary to liaise with authorities of NYSC to post some doctors to the Ministry of Transportation in view of establishing a medical center for staff of the ministry.
“Let us get the NYSC to post to the ministry at least two doctors, so we can ascertain the cost of establishing a clinic for our staff. This will enable those who fall ill to get free treatment,” he said.
The Minister also noted that henceforth, provision of laptops for Engineers will be included in the ministry’s budget.
In her remarks, Minister for State, Transport, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki assured workers of smooth working relationship, stating that she would work together with Amaechi to improve on staff welfare.
“Whatever the Minister (Amaechi) had been doing I will follow suit, I will always be behind him and I will do my best to always ensure that we do what will promote staff welfare,” she said.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari said the essence of the interactive session was to have a better understanding with the Ministers.
He enjoined the staff to provide support to the Ministers to achieve the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
According to him, “the purpose of this interactive session is to have a better understanding with the Ministers. It is an opportunity for us to air our views and understand what they (Ministers) want us to do in this second term of Mr. President. It is our hope that as we gave our support to the Hon. Minister of Transportation during the first tenure, we’ll give even more this second term.”
Meanwhile, the Minister has launched a public Opinion Poll for members of the public and staff of the ministry to send in their opinions on how the improve on service delivery for the ministry.
It reads “what strategies do you think we can implement to deliver on our projects better and faster- from the Railways to Maritime, Ports, Transportation Institutes and others. We are open to suggestions to enable us serve you better. Kindly send your opinions to this email chibuikeamaechi377@gmail.com and we will be glad to read them. Thank You. – Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Minister)”.
