Okpebholo’s CNG buses: Road users express concern over refuelling

•We’ve procured mobile kits for gas filling — Commissioner By Ozioruva Aliu BENIN CITY – Residents of Edo State have been asking if the 50 new CNG buses launched in Benin City, Edo State recently will ease transportation costs and movement in the state; time will tell. SINCE 2011 when the government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole established the Edo City Transport Service from the then moribund Edo Municipal Transport Service established by the government of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the people of the state heaved a sigh of relief from the stress of intra state transport services.

The ECTS buses are branded Comrade Bus and as a matter of policy, the prices are cheaper than the regular commercial vehicles and they are deployed across popular routes in the state capital and some other local government areas. Every student in uniform and those with verifiable identity cards did not pay a fare, they had free rides throughout the period of Oshiomhole’s administration.

Oshiomhole started the scheme with about 75 buses painted in green. The administration of Godwin Obaseki boosted it in 2017 with 100 additional buses painted oxblood red. But by the end of Obaseki’s tenure, most of the buses he added were nowhere in the state and that put more pressure on the original ones acquired by Oshiomhole. Till date, the buses acquired by Oshiomole are still in operation but fewer in number and devoid of the luxury of air conditioners and digital payment structure.

The Comrade Buses are overcrowded and grossly insufficient to meet the peoples’ demand. The ECTS terminals within the city are always crowded with passengers waiting for the cheap transport fare. The limited availability of the buses forced many to revert to the commercial buses. Governor Monday Okpebholo acquired another set of 50 new CNG buses and they were launched by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Thursday.

The development brought a feeling of renewed hope in the government’s transport scheme. At the Garrick Memorial College ground, venue of the commissioning which was graced by not less than 15 First Ladies from states across Nigeria, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi, the Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, Minister of Regional Development, Hon.

Abubakar Momoh, Sen. Oshiomhole among others, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu commended the initiative of Governor Okpebholo saying that it would help civil servants, parents taking their children to and from schools, students, market women and other low income earners to move easily around the state. She said the initiative was key to her husband’s reforms which is to make Nigeria patronise alternative sources of energy for mobility like gas and solar-powered vehicles.

She said: “I am glad to be in Edo State today after quite a long time for the commissioning of 50 compressed natural gas buses for the benefit of the people of this state. “We are not merely commissioning buses; we are commissioning opportunities, mobility and home because behind every bus is a human story, there is a student who needs to get to school, there is a trader who needs to get to the market.

There is a mother who needs to take her children to school and return to her business. There is a young person travelling to work. There is an artisan moving to a job site. There is a civil servant going to work. “That is why today’s event is a story of renewed hope. When transportation becomes more affordable and accessible, economic opportunities become a reality.

Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural gas resources and the Federal Government under the renewed hope agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR has continued to support the development of a compressed natural gas ecosystem towards providing more affordable transportation for Nigerians. “It is not only gas, you can see that electric cars have started coming up as well and we have this sunshine for solar energy and so we are just getting there.” An elated Governor Okpebholo commended President Bola Tinubu whose reforms he said had made more resources available for development and good governance.

“We understand the daily challenges faced by our workers, traders, students and families. High cost of transportation puts pressure on household income, business activities and the overall cost of living. “These buses are more than just vehicles; they are a practical way to reduce transport costs, ease the burden on families and improve the daily lives of Edo people.

“Mr.President’s economic reforms have increased our revenues which enables us to deliver more dividends of democracy to our people.” Several market women, students and civil servants praised the initiative and lauded the government. The buses are expected to be deployed to ease the pains of the increase in transport fare as a result of the removal of the subsidy on petrol.

But commuters expressed fears that the fleet may plunge into the challenge of refueling because of the limited number of gas stations