The last time Imo people enjoyed a subsidised Mass transport scheme was between 2007 and 2011, when Chief Ikedi Ohakim was the Imo State governor.
The scheme which was named Imo Municipal Bus service, was the then Governor Ohakim’s response to the economic meltdown that had hit Nigeria and other parts of the world.
Each of the luxury buses which had capacity to convey nearly fifty passengers at a time, had dedicated routes and charged fares that were much lesser than what commercial buses charged in the state.
It was a laudable policy that brought relief to Imo people. The scheme was replicated in other states like Enugu with the launch of the Coal City Shuttle.
At the same time, Lagos State Government launched the Bus Rapid Transport, popularly called BRT.
Regrettably, the Rochas Okorocha administration that took over power in Imo in May 2011, failed to sustain that Ohakim’s laudable policy.
With the every-rising price of petrol in Nigeria at the moment, it will be such a big relief and welcome development for the Governor Hope Uzodinma administration in Imo to introduce a similar mass transport scheme in form of palliative, as transport fares keep skyrocketing on a daily basis
Investigation reveals that those coming to work from suburbs like Orji, Akabo, Uratta, Emekuku, Naze, Agbala, Egbeada, Ubommiri, Nworieubi, Irete, Irogwe, Ogbaku
Obinze, Avu, Mgbirichi, among others, now part with up to N1000 a day as fares.
Governor Uzodinma will be demonstrating his compassion for the people he is governing, by rolling out subsidised buses to alleviate the suffering of Imolites.
Therefore, the option of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, buses which both the federal and state governments assured would be introduced as alternative to petrol buses, should be implemented without delay.
Indeed Governor Uzodinma like any other governor, needs no reminder that the ultimate goal of any government us to keep the people happy by constantly adding value.