In fulfilment of its earlier promise to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal on Edo State residents, the State Government flagged off its free transport scheme on Monday.
Governor Obaseki, it would be recalled that recently approved free transport services for passengers on all routes plied by the state-owned Edo City Transport Service Ltd (ECTS)
The free transport services, which is expected to be on for an initial two-month period, would be available for residents within the Benin metropolis and others within the three senatorial districts.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Monday in Benin, Governor Godwin Obaseki advised the people to use the ECTS free buses regularly, saying that the state government designed the gesture to help its residents get over the hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal.
Obaseki, who was represented at the event by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said: “Edo State Government takes the welfare of Edo People seriously, and this is just one of the many ways we intend to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal for Edo people.
“The scheme has started since morning, and people are already enjoying it.
We want Edo people to use the bus regularly”, he said
On her part, the Managing Director of the ECTS, Mrs Edugie Agbonlahor, said that, although ECTC has been offering free rides for primary and secondary school pupils in Edo, it has planned to extend it to accommodate more residents in order to alleviate the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
“We know that before now, transportation has always consumed 50% of the budgets of parents.
“So, the gesture is to help so that they can channel this money to some of their other needs such as feeding housing, especially this time in particular when our children are resuming and we know the burden on parents during the first term.
“So, this is His Excellency’s intervention that at this time, parents can have a refund of their transport cost to enable them to take on other responsibilities.
“We are aware that ECTS has always given free ride to school children, but it’s no longer for school children but for all Edo people”, she assured
A beneficiary of the free transport scheme,Mrs Osarubo Obayuwana, who lives in Oko Central and spends an average of #800 daily on transportation, was elated over the gesture by the Edo State Government.
She said. ” I am happy seeing the new arrangements by the Edo State Government. I want to beg the government to sustain the scheme because people are really suffering.”
The transport scheme is expected to cover intra-city and intercity routes between 6.30 am and 7 pm daily include Auchi – Igalla – Ibillo–Ososo; Uzebba–Ikhin – Otuo, and Abudu-Ubiaja, Abudu-Urhonigbe and Ewohirin to Ewatto.
Ramat–Kingsquare; New Benin–Kingsquare; Kingsquare – Ekenwan Road; Kingsquare–Airport Road; Kingsquare–Sapele Road and Kingsquare – Adesuwa, Kingsquare–Ogida; New Benin – Upper Mission;
” Kingsquare–Ugbowo; Kingsquare–Agbor Road; Kingsquare–Upper Sokponba; New Benin – Ugbowo and New Benin–Aduwawa.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
