Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has commissioned ten new 30-seater Toyota Coaster buses for intra-city transportation in Benin City.
Commissioning the buses in Egor Local Government yesterday, Oshiomhole said, “commissioning 10 buses at a go by a Local Government is a huge achievement and I know that the people of Egor and indeed the people of Edo State are indeed appreciative because you don’t have to come from Egor Local Government to patronize the vehicles.
“I believe this is a very huge addition to compliment the efforts of the Comrade Bus to provide intra-city mass transportation to enhance the economy and commercial life of Edo State.
“I am particularly proud of this because it shows that what we do in APC is a matter of Party Policy and Tradition. We have shown that our Government at all levels are guided by the philosophy of service while the others celebrate the tradition of ‘share the money’ which they now dubiously label as ‘stomach infrastructure’.
“We celebrate tradition on the philosophy of work for the people because in democracy, the people are the masters. Those in government are the stewards. So I am happy with what you are doing and I speak the mind of Egor people to say you have justified your mandate that the people of Egor gave you a few years back”, he said.
He said, “As I was driving here, I realised that they have almost completed the additional service lane that we are constructing and coming here didn’t take me one hour from Ovoranmwen square and I know during the campaign, it will take one a full day to get here and during rainy season like this, you have to navigate between Tom river and some other rivers along the road.
“I do remember I accompanied a former governor of this state to visit a Federal Minister of Works pleading with the Minister to do something about the flooding of this road. We were told that it was beyond the State Government but today, the challenging job we have done is the dredging and reclaiming the drainage on both sides of the road as well as the Benin City Water Storm Master Plan already under construction and I believe we have completed 65% of that project.
“We will do more work in Egor and by the time they finish the second phase of the Siluko Road and the other roads under construction and this drainage work, life in Egor will never be the same again. “I want to assure you that Edo State is on the march and nobody can return us back to the dark days. We have encouraged those who believe in the politics of “I chop you loot” to return to the umbrella that is torn but those who believe that politics is about development remains in the progressive family and together, taking Edo to the next level is not negotiable”, he said.
“Let me also use this opportunity to tell our people that in the next few weeks, there will be party primaries and thereafter by next year there will be popular elections. I want to appeal to our people to recognise that this time around, the people will determine who they want. Only the people will determine who they want. That is the promise and that will be done.
“I want to assure you that we will do our own part to ensure the rules are obeyed, and I want to ask our people that once INEC starts distributing the permanent voter cards, they should all ensure they collect their cards so that there will be no reason for the cards to be returned to Abuja. We must collect the cards, we must keep the cards and use it to punish PDP”, he said.
The Governor debunked the allegation by the PDP that he spent N480milion to sponsor people to America adding that if he had such money; it will be used to provide amenities for the people.
Oshiomhole declared, “The power of this government is in our connection with the ordinary people and that trust between the people and Edo State Government, we will continue to service it. We will never take our people for granted”, he said.
The Governor appealed to the Council Chairman to ensure that female drivers are employed as it has been proven that they are some of the best drivers in the Edo City Transport Service.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Local Government said the Mass Transit Busses are to complement the services of Edo City Transport Service.
He said, “the Project is funded from part of our allocation and the first phase of the Mass Transit Project. It is our hope that in the not too distant future, more vehicles will be added to it. The decision to float the mass transit buses is to reduce the number of unemployed youths in the local government.”
The Governor had last year commissioned 100 taxi cabs at Ikpoba Okha local Government Area and 300 Comrade Cabs for intra-city transportation in addition to the over 100 Comrade Buses already in use in the state.
