Edo State Government under Godwin Obaseki is determined to bequeath a legacy of cashless and digitalized road transport system in Edo State.
The Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon Comrade Philip Shaibu made this known in Benin at a meeting with stakeholders in the road transport business in the state.
The stakeholders were invited to his office at the Government House to brainstorm on how the operators, especially bus drivers can key into the new regime of using modern bus terminal.
The modern bus terminal built at Obahawaye in the heart of the ancient city of Benin is said to be first of its kind in Nigeria. It’s due for commissioning soon. According to the Deputy Governor, ” this is a one stop shop for commuters in the state. The park is complete with all the necessary modern facilities like shops, security post, fire service center, water, restaurants and designated areas for sales of spare parts for the buses. In fact, it will have regular light supply because it’s hooked up to Ossioma Power Plant.”
The park is expected to service both intra and inter-city commuters.
Shaibu said the park was supposed to be a joint effort between the state government and the two approved road transport unions in the state ( NURTW & RTEAN). Unfortunately, he lamented that the unions failed in their own obligation, hence the state government’s resort to the private sector, using the PPP approach to build the park.
Shaibu said Edo has remained a model among the 36 states because it has scored first in different fields of human endeavors. Hear him: ” As I speak, five states have come to under study our public transport system. We are proud to say it loud any where. We digitalized our public transport system and made it cashless about five years ago. We did not end it there, an executive Bill was sent to the House of Assembly so as to institutionalize it. Today, it has become law which we must all work with.”
He charged all the stakeholders to make the new park work the way they have been operating the new law in the last five years, adding that more modern parks are under way across the state for the safely and comfort of commuters.
The stakeholders at the meeting were leaders of NURTW, RTEAN, MD of ECTS, MD of EDSTMA, Transport Ministry, Army(S&T Barracks), Chairman, ERS and Managers of Benin Central Park.
They all pledged their support for government efforts to modernize and sanitize the road transport system in the state.
