In December 2020, as part of its Economic Sustainability Plan aimed at mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government introduced the Transport Track of the Transport and Artisans scheme under the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Survival Fund.
This initiative was designed to offer a one-time grant of N30,000 to approximately 4,505 individuals operating within the transportation sector nationwide.
Sobi FM’s DARE AKOGUN engaged with transporters in Kwara State to gather insights on the federal government’s initiative.
Last August, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Minister of State for Transportation, announced that the government had allocated N10 billion to support road transport workers and operators affected by the pandemic.
This announcement was made during a visit by the leadership of the Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association (PTONA) to the minister in Abuja.
The lockdown measures implemented by the government significantly impacted transport workers, making them one of the hardest-hit groups by the pandemic.
The ‘Transport Track initiative,’ launched formally in December 2020, aimed to assist 4,505 beneficiaries per state, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with a one-time grant of N30,000 each. The scheme targeted various categories of transport operators, including rideshare drivers, taxi and bus drivers, Keke-Napep and Okada riders, and cart pushers.
Hajia Aisha Abubakar, Minister of State for the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, reported that as of January 17 this year, 155,920 beneficiaries in the transport track had been approved for payment, with 9,109 pending cases undergoing processing.
In total, 146,811 transport sector beneficiaries have received payments totaling N4.4 billion under the Transport Track initiative.
The program’s implementation involves state focal persons, project field officers, and enumerators working closely with the Medium and Small-Scale Enterprises (MSME) Survival Fund Project Delivery Office to identify eligible recipients and facilitate payment distribution to ensure transparency and efficiency.
Leave a Comment