Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, Bauchi State Governor has on Thursday distributed additional 655 units of commercial tricycles known as Keke Napep and 154 units of commercial motor vehicles under the second phase of his initiative, aimed at improving the transport system in the state.
Governor Mohamed during the distribution exercise in Bauchi, said that the gesture was part of his administration’s readiness to “give citizens the opportunity to participate in more viable economic activities for self-reliance.”
The governor who said the project was a continuation of his resolve to cushion the effects of the disbanded commercial motorcycles in Bauchi argued that the initiative will restore hope for the common man through viable economic empowerment.
“our decision to distribute these commercial motorcycles and buses on interest free loan is to reduce the hardship faced by the good people of Bauchi State and offer them the economic empowerment we have promised during the electioneering campaign”, the governor said.
Governor Mohammed said, under the programme, money in cash will also be released to the leadership of traders through the Ministry of Cooperatives to arrange, disburse and recover at an appropriate time.
The governor said the three components of the programme became necessary alternatives for the state government to initiate, create and open more avenues for the empowerment of unemployed youths in the state.
Governor Bala Mohammed who argued that the government cannot accommodate all graduates in the state into its work force, room for private sector driven initiatives needs to be expanded to accommodate the teeming youth.
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 a substantial part of his campaign promises.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Alhaji Modibbo Ahmed expressed gratitude to the Governor for supporting the Ministry to come up with various empowerment initiatives for poverty reduction.
