New Telegraph

Edo Flags Off Free Transport Scheme

The Edo State Government on Monday inaugurated its free Transport scheme to alleviate the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

The Governor of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki while speaking at the inauguration said the state government has approved free transport service for passengers on all routes operated by the state-owned Edo City Transport Ltd.

He urged residents to use the Edo City Transport Ltd. (ECTS) free buses regularly as it was designed to help them get over the hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal

The service which runs between 6.30 am and 7 pm daily, spans an initial two-month period covering commuters within the Benin metropolis and from Benin City to the major cities in the three senatorial districts.

Chris Nehikhare, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation represented the Edo State governor at the flagoff ceremony at the ECTS PARK, Ring Road.

He said, “The State Government takes the welfare of the residents 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 service started this morning and people should seize this opportunity provided by the government and enjoy it.”

Mrs Edugie Agbonlahor, the Managing Director of the Edo State Transport Authority, also speaking at the event said that though ECTC has been offering free bus rides for primary and secondary school pupils, it has planned to extend it to accommodate everybody in order to alleviate the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

“We know that before now transportation has always consumed 50 per cent 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, and 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 other responsibilities. We are aware that  ECTS has always given free rides to school children, but it’s no longer for school children but for all Edo people.”

Beneficiaries of the free transport scheme who lamented because they used to spend an average of N800 daily on transportation or more depending on your area, were happy and elated seeing the new arrangements by the Edo State Government.

The transport scheme is expected to cover intra-city and intercity routes including Auchi – Igalla – Ibillo–Ososo; Uzebba–Ikhin – Otuo, and Abudu-Ubiaja, Abudu-Urhonigbe and Ewohirin to Ewatto.

The intra-city routes are 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

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