The outgoing Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, on Wednesday, on behalf of the Federal Government, handed over the first batch of electric mass transit buses to the Federal Civil Service as part of its Renewed Hope Mass Transit Programme.

The ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja, marked the rollout of a programme aimed at improving the welfare, safety and productivity of civil servants by providing safer, more reliable and affordable transportation to and from work.

Walson-Jack, billed to retire on Thursday, described the intervention as both a major welfare measure and her “parting gift” to the workforce.

The HoCSF said she could not have asked for a more fitting way to end her tenure than to hand over an intervention that would continue benefiting civil servants long after her departure.

“This commissioning is providentially my parting gift to my dearly beloved federal civil servants, as in a little under 24 hours, my time as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation comes to an end.

“I could not have asked for a more fitting note on which to close this chapter of service than receiving and handing over the keys to something that will keep moving, keep working, long after I have gone home.”

She said transportation was about more than simply moving workers from one location to another, stressing that the daily movement directly affected workers’ finances, safety, punctuality and productivity.

According to her, the intervention would ease the financial burden on workers while providing a safer, more reliable and affordable commuting option.

She said the buses represented a practical demonstration that the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda was being translated into tangible benefits for workers.

“An intervention that makes transportation safer, more reliable and more affordable is therefore not a peripheral welfare gesture; it is an investment in a more productive civil service,” she said.

Walson-Jack linked the mass transit programme to other Federal Government interventions, including the upward review of the national minimum wage, wage awards following the removal of fuel subsidy, digitalisation of government services, improved pension administration, promotions, employee compensation and health insurance.

She said the acquisition of the buses was made possible through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund and commended the  President for supporting the initiative and prioritising the welfare of civil servants.

Walson-Jack also praised the Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, for his support, as well as officials of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Service Welfare Office, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and other stakeholders involved in bringing the project to fruition.

She said operations would commence with a pilot phase on selected routes before a full rollout across the Federal Civil Service.

She urged the authorities to ensure that the buses were deployed under a transparent and sustainable operational framework, with clearly defined routes and schedules, regular maintenance, qualified drivers, passenger safety, cleanliness and effective monitoring.

According to her, the buses would also be deployed, where appropriate, to federal secretariats across the states, while a special-purpose vehicle had been established to oversee their management, maintenance and long-term sustainability.

Walson-Jack urged civil servants to protect the buses as valuable public assets and reciprocate the government’s investment through improved punctuality and productivity.

“They are yours to use, but also yours to protect,” she said. “Treat these buses as your own personal assets.”

Speaking briefly to reporters after the ceremony, Walson-Jack said she was grateful that the initiative she had long envisioned had become a reality on the eve of her departure from office.

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