By Halimah Olamide
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general elections Mr. Peter Obi, has demanded what happens to Nigerians who are travelling for other reasons after the festive season where president Bola Tinubu has ordered 50% price slash.
Obi said though the move is a good move in the right direction, there are still pending concerns about whether it is sustainable or not.
NPO Reports that the Federal Government had announced on Wednesday that it would bankroll a 50% reduction in costs of transport for the period of Christmas and New Year adding that transport companies and the Nigerian Railway Corporation had been prepared to carry out such palliative measures.
“If fully implemented, as reported, I consider this first-time intervention of the government, intended to help the masses, a step in the right direction.
However, the major concern about such emergency measures is what follows afterwards. The high cost of transportation and associated hardships are all well known.
The question this seasonal palliative raises is that of what happens after the festive season. Is there a sustainable policy measure to cushion the masses from the current high transportation costs?”
He said the current effort comes with operational challenges noting that Millions of people have already traveled bearing the brunt and huge costs of such travels.
“How will such people get their refunds or be compensated?
“Following the government’s announcement of a 50% discount on interstate transport fare for Nigerians, I have taken time to inquire into the implementation mechanics across different cities but I have been disappointed.
He said he sent out contacts who consulted widely with the transporters in major parks across the country: in Abuja they carried out on the spot investigation in Jabi/Utako areas; in Lagos they visited major parks like Jibowu, Festac, Mile 12, Ajah, and Mazamaza and none of the transporters in these parks was aware of this 50% discount.
He added, “At Upper Iweka, Onitsha, which is the main traffic hub in Anambra, and in other parts of the country like; Kano, Aba, Kaduna, Owerri, and Gombe, the story is the same.
“The government has again announced the few transport companies chosen to participate in the intervention for which 28 Routes have been designated.
There are no announced forms of checks and balances to ensure that the transporters follow the terms of the contract.”
Raising questions over the implementation of the intervention plan, Obi said One expects that such a policy that strives to appeal to the broad masses, especially the downtrodden, deliberate and concrete arrangements should be made, with transport companies.
“pray that this is not yet another spin to curry favour in the media space after appetizing the people. The Nigerian people are going through untold hardship and the government must not remain insensitive to their sufferings.
“Compassion on the part of government is a good thing, but it should not be an avenue for exploiting the weak structures of government to encourage less than transparent policy implementation.”