Edo spends N110m on diesel in 3 months on Free bus scheme

To help mitigate the impact of the federal government’s decision to eliminate gasoline subsidies on the people of Edo State, the state government spent N110 million on diesel in just three months for the free transit network that runs throughout the entire state.

Senator Monday Okpebholo, who represents the people of Edo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has been spreading false information about the transport scheme, which has benefited over 1.5 million Edo residents in its first phase. Chris Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, issued a statement urging the public to disregard this falsehood.

The free bus network, which runs intra-city services from Monday to Saturday and inter-city services from Monday to Sunday across the state, has received N110, 509,230 from the Edo State Government in the last three months, according to Nehikhare.

In the first two months of its operation, the programme that began on September 11, 2023, to help mitigate the impact of the federal government’s decision to eliminate fuel subsidies on the people of the state has been a resounding success, receiving nothing but praise from participants. More than 1.5 million people in Edo State reaped the benefits of this initiative.

“Although we are aware of the significant increase in diesel prices and other operational costs for the scheme, the Edo City Transport Service, ECTS, has been actively seeking ways to mitigate this surge. This includes skeletal hire services and partnerships with various groups and religious organisations, such as Christ Embassy, Church of God Mission, and Winners, among others. These initiatives have successfully supplemented the cost of diesel and vehicle maintenance without involving the government.”

“It is therefore disheartening and ridiculous to read in some sections of the media of patently false, baseless and misleading comments by the Senator representing Edo Central, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on the free transport scheme, in what seem like a desperate bid to be noticed,” Nehikhare concluded.

Just so everyone knows, the numbers the senator used are all made up. All Edo people should dismiss them since they are unfounded and malicious. Since the government has saved its residents a total of N1.5bn in transit expenditures during the period under review, which they would have spent had they paid for the services being provided by the government, we suspect that he may have fabricated the data.

ALSO READ: Our Unfinished Business Is To Restore Power And Place It In The Hands Of The People—Jegede

Better and more precise information would have been available to Senator Okpebholo had he contacted ECTS or the Ministry of Communication and Orientation.

“The people of Edo can have faith in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ability to safeguard their resources because he has repeatedly demonstrated his dedication to openness, responsibility, and careful administration of public funds,” he continued.To help mitigate the impact of the federal government’s decision to eliminate gasoline subsidies on the people of Edo State, the state government spent N110 million on diesel in just three months for the free transit network that runs throughout the entire state.

Senator Monday Okpebholo, who represents the people of Edo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has been spreading false information about the transport scheme, which has benefited over 1.5 million Edo residents in its first phase. Chris Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, issued a statement urging the public to disregard this falsehood.

The free bus network, which runs intra-city services from Monday to Saturday and inter-city services from Monday to Sunday across the state, has received N110, 509,230 from the Edo State Government in the last three months, according to Nehikhare.

In the first two months of its operation, the programme that began on September 11, 2023, to help mitigate the impact of the federal government’s decision to eliminate fuel subsidies on the people of the state has been a resounding success, receiving nothing but praise from participants. More than 1.5 million people in Edo State reaped the benefits of this initiative.

“Although we are aware of the significant increase in diesel prices and other operational costs for the scheme, the Edo City Transport Service, ECTS, has been actively seeking ways to mitigate this surge. This includes skeletal hire services and partnerships with various groups and religious organisations, such as Christ Embassy, Church of God Mission, and Winners, among others. These initiatives have successfully supplemented the cost of diesel and vehicle maintenance without involving the government.”

“It is therefore disheartening and ridiculous to read in some sections of the media of patently false, baseless and misleading comments by the Senator representing Edo Central, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on the free transport scheme, in what seem like a desperate bid to be noticed,” Nehikhare concluded.

Just so everyone knows, the numbers the senator used are all made up. All Edo people should dismiss them since they are unfounded and malicious. Since the government has saved its residents a total of N1.5bn in transit expenditures during the period under review, which they would have spent had they paid for the services being provided by the government, we suspect that he may have fabricated the data.

ALSO READ: Our Unfinished Business Is To Restore Power And Place It In The Hands Of The People—Jegede

Better and more precise information would have been available to Senator Okpebholo had he contacted ECTS or the Ministry of Communication and Orientation.

“The people of Edo can have faith in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ability to safeguard their resources because he has repeatedly demonstrated his dedication to openness, responsibility, and careful administration of public funds,” he continued.To help mitigate the impact of the federal government’s decision to eliminate gasoline subsidies on the people of Edo State, the state government spent N110 million on diesel in just three months for the free transit network that runs throughout the entire state.

Senator Monday Okpebholo, who represents the people of Edo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has been spreading false information about the transport scheme, which has benefited over 1.5 million Edo residents in its first phase. Chris Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, issued a statement urging the public to disregard this falsehood.

The free bus network, which runs intra-city services from Monday to Saturday and inter-city services from Monday to Sunday across the state, has received N110, 509,230 from the Edo State Government in the last three months, according to Nehikhare.

In the first two months of its operation, the programme that began on September 11, 2023, to help mitigate the impact of the federal government’s decision to eliminate fuel subsidies on the people of the state has been a resounding success, receiving nothing but praise from participants. More than 1.5 million people in Edo State reaped the benefits of this initiative.

“Although we are aware of the significant increase in diesel prices and other operational costs for the scheme, the Edo City Transport Service, ECTS, has been actively seeking ways to mitigate this surge. This includes skeletal hire services and partnerships with various groups and religious organisations, such as Christ Embassy, Church of God Mission, and Winners, among others. These initiatives have successfully supplemented the cost of diesel and vehicle maintenance without involving the government.”

“It is therefore disheartening and ridiculous to read in some sections of the media of patently false, baseless and misleading comments by the Senator representing Edo Central, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on the free transport scheme, in what seem like a desperate bid to be noticed,” Nehikhare concluded.

Just so everyone knows, the numbers the senator used are all made up. All Edo people should dismiss them since they are unfounded and malicious. Since the government has saved its residents a total of N1.5bn in transit expenditures during the period under review, which they would have spent had they paid for the services being provided by the government, we suspect that he may have fabricated the data.

ALSO READ: Our Unfinished Business Is To Restore Power And Place It In The Hands Of The People—Jegede

Better and more precise information would have been available to Senator Okpebholo had he contacted ECTS or the Ministry of Communication and Orientation.

“The people of Edo can have faith in Governor Godwin Obaseki’s ability to safeguard their resources because he has repeatedly demonstrated his dedication to openness, responsibility, and careful administration of public funds,” he continued.