Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal P.hD has rolled out a major public welfare intervention distributing 50 subsidised buses to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and commissioning five modern fire trucks, in a move aimed at tackling transportation hurdles and strengthening emergency response across the state. The official handover ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Government House in Gusau, drawing leaders from the transport union, fire service officials and top government functionaries.
According to Governor Lawal, the buses are being provided under the Zamfara State Loan Scheme, a structured financing programme designed to promote economic empowerment while ensuring sustainability through cost recovery. Each bus was procured at ₦27,390,000, but the state government is absorbing 20% of that cost – amounting to ₦5,478,000 per vehicle – as a direct subsidy to ease the financial burden on beneficiaries.This means each NURTW member will repay ₦21,912,000 over a 44-month period, with repayment commencing from the date of vehicle allocation.
Crucially, the NURTW has entered into a partnership with the government to oversee the entire process, with the union responsible for identifying eligible members, supervising the use of the vehicles and ensuring strict compliance with the repayment schedule, a collaborative approach intended to minimise defaults and guarantee the scheme’s longevity.
In a parallel development, the Governor also commissioned five state-of-the-art fire trucks to reinforce the Zamfara State Fire Service, with the trucks equipped to modern standards and expected to significantly shorten response times during emergencies. Governor Lawal underscored the urgency of the investment, noting that fire outbreaks remain a persistent threat to lives and property in the state. “We are aware that fire outbreaks can destroy homes, shops and livelihoods in seconds,” he said. “These new fire trucks, equipped with modern standards, will strengthen the state fire service’s capacity to respond faster across all nooks and crannies of the State.”
He charged the Fire Service leadership to complement the equipment with rigorous personnel training, regular public fire-safety sensitisation campaigns and consistent maintenance to keep the trucks in optimal condition at all times. The Governor made it clear that all assets distributed belong to the people of Zamfara and must be treated with utmost care, directing all benefiting Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as individual beneficiaries, to submit quarterly maintenance and utilisation reports to their respective oversight offices.
He further issued a stern warning against any form of abuse, declaring that “vandalism, misuse or diversion will not be tolerated,” signalling the administration’s commitment to transparency and responsible asset management.
Governor Lawal framed the initiative as part of his broader agenda to uplift the state’s transportation sector, create economic opportunities for transport workers, and enhance public safety. By subsidising the buses, the government aims to ease the cost of commuting for residents while providing a sustainable livelihood for NURTW members, while the fire trucks are expected to reduce the devastation caused by infernos in both urban and rural communities. The combined investment reflects a multi-pronged strategy to address critical infrastructure gaps while fostering accountability and community partnership.
With the handover complete, the NURTW is expected to begin allocating the buses to qualified members in the coming days, while the Fire Service will deploy the new trucks across strategic locations in the state. The government has pledged to monitor progress closely through the quarterly reporting mechanism, with defaulters or abusers facing appropriate sanctions. This development marks one of the largest single interventions in the transport and emergency services sectors under Governor Lawal’s administration and stakeholders are watching closely to see how the scheme translates into tangible improvements for ordinary Zamfara residents.
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