The government of Borno State, northeast Nigeria, has commissioned 107 electric/gas buses and taxis to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal, but how inclusive is this initiative?

Development Diaries reports that the buses and taxes, which were commissioned by President Bola Tinubu, are part of the Borno State metro transport scheme.

The buses are made up of 35 units of 30-seater gas-powered coaster buses, 12 units of 15-seater gas-powered Hummer buses, ten units of 50-seater gas-powered mass transit buses, and 50 units of four-seater electric-powered taxi vehicles.

According to Governor Babagana Zulum, the 107 vehicles were converted to use electricity and gas to help enhance the use of low-cost energy sources and cheap transportation.

He said the deployment of 50 electric taxis was the first of its kind in Nigeria and was in line with the realities of climate change.

Electric vehicles create a lower carbon footprint throughout their lifetime than cars and trucks that use traditional, internal combustion engines.

Also, natural gas produces less pollution and greenhouse gases, according to the Centre for Liquefied Natural Gas.

When burnt, natural gas produces 45 percent less carbon dioxide than coal, 30 percent less than oil and 15 percent less than wood.

As the world continues to explore ways to drift away from the use of coal and oil, it is commendable that the Borno State government has prioritised the use of environment-friendly vehicles to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.

However, how will vulnerable populations in the state, including people living with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens, also benefit from this initiative? According to the Grassroots Researchers Association, PWDs in northeast Nigeria face discrimination in housing, education, employment, and access to public transportation.

They face a major obstacle of inaccessible transportation facilities: they are overburdened with not being able to move freely and independently, go to work, school, and do other activities.

It is understood that their needs and concerns are rarely taken into consideration by the government at all levels, as their rights are not systematically upheld.

While Development Diaries commends Borno State for this initiative, we call on the state government to also come up with a specialised transportation scheme that meets the needs of PWDs.

We also call on other state governments in Nigeria to replicate this initiative by providing inclusive and innovative solutions to address the impact of the subsidy removal and economic hardship.

Photo source: The Governor of Borno State