Luanda – Some 300 students from Luanda municipality, the country’s capital, benefit from the social public transport voucher “GiraMais” (spins more), on an experimental basis, with 60 free trips.
This is an initiative of the Angolan Executive, which is carried out from the National System of Integrated Ticketing (SNBI).
The measure covers initially the students aged up to 15 and belonging to some schools such as Ngola Kanine, Ngola Kiluanje, Primeiro de Maio and Comercial school.
In this first phase, they are working only on buses. The next stage will include trains and catamarans.
However, the nine public transport operators in Luanda and the five in the province of Huíla have already installed the GiraMais card reader equipment, synchronized with the national Integrated Ticketing System.
Pascoal Fernando, in charge of the National Integrated Ticketing Company (SNBI), said by the end of next June the process will be in full operation and announced plans to extend the vouchers to other groups, such as the elderly, former combatants and people with special needs.
Along with the provinces of Luanda and Huíla, it is also carrying out the experimental test of the social transport pass, says the manager.
He admitted existing a delay in the publication of the joint guiding diploma of the Ministries of Finance and Transport, which is expected to be published in the Official Gazette in the second quarter of this year, the period in which the effective functioning of this service will begin.
The goal, adds the official, is to reach about three million potential beneficiaries in Luanda alone, with young people being the largest category, representing more than 60% of the target population.
Social access will cost Kz 4,500 (Kz) or Kz 2,500 when purchasing the ticket and Kz 2,000 more for activation in the ticketing system. They are renewable every three years.
However, there is also the youth social voucher category, which covers citizens ranging from 16 to 35 years old and which have a 50% bonus on the normal public transport fare.
Likewise, other categories of social passes benefit the elderly, from 60 years old, people with disabilities and veterans of the country, all of whom will be entitled to 20 free trips per month plus a 50% bonus for each top-up on the card. OPF/ PPA
Source: Angola Press News Agency