By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Governor Seyi Makinde has approved deployment of additional 16 new luxury buses to Saki, Iseyin, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa areas of the state to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the citizens.
Chairman of the 15-man Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER), sub-committee on Transport services, Alhaji Gafar Bello said this during an on the spot-assessment to the Pacesetter Transport Service (PTS).
Alhaji Bello stressed that this is in addition to the already 30 buses that were deployed for the same purpose within the State capital, Ibadan about two weeks ago by the state governor.
According to Alhaji Bello, the total buses now captured under SAfER to cushion the effects of subsidy removal within the State is now 46, adding that the SAfER committee headed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi is committed to the timely delivery of action plan conceptualised by the Governor to cushion the effect of subsidy removal and make life worth living for the masses.
Alhaji Bello who was accompanied to the PTS company by other members of the sub committee including the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Ademola Babalola; the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Kayode Martins, a Director of Transport in the State, Mr. Babatunde Olasunkanmi maintained that the committee on Transport including those of Food Security; Food Palliatives; Healthcare Services and SMEs were working round the clock to make the plan of the Governor a reality.
The immediate past Accountant General of the State and now Executive Assistant on Finance, Budget and Economic Planning said the Governor approved immediate deployment of 10 buses for inter-State movement of commuters from those towns to Ibadan at a very reduced price.
“Already, the residents of Ibadan are presently enjoying these new buses as movement from Iwo-road interchange to Orita-Challenge and those of Amuloko-Beere which used to be between N400 and N500 now goes for just N100 only. Many of our people are already appreciating the Governor for this gesture as a number of our people now jettisoned their personal vehicles for these buses”, he said.
Alhaji Bello added, “The feedback we are getting has shown that our people are enjoying the intervention of His Excellency in the transportation sector. And this is why the Governor on Wednesday approved immediate deployment of additional buses to commute residents traveling to and from Saki, Iseyin, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa areas to Ibadan. Two buses each of 56-seater and 40-seater have been deployed to each of these major towns”.
“And it is also expected that by the middle of next week, additional six would be available for movements of passengers at short distances within these towns and environs.All these efforts are just a tip of the iceberg as food palliatives to 200,000 vulnerable household; 100,000 healthcare services; food security where grains and N500million would be given to deserving farmers and another N500million for Small and Medium Enterprises are all in the offing and our people would start benefitting from them before this month runs to an end.”
Alhaji Bello then solicited the support and cooperation of the people for the state government in its avowed efforts to ensure drastic reduction in poverty and mitigate the effects of subsidy removal amongst the citizenry.
