KWARA state governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has approved the provision of buses to support the transportation of students and workers in tertiary institutions within Ilorin.
The governor’s chief press secretary (CPS), Rafiu Ajakaiye, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, June 11.
“From Wednesday, June 14, some large buses will be deployed to transport students of public tertiary institutions within the metropolis, including those going to the Kwara State University campus at Malete.
“Further details will be released by the coordinating Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs),” the CPS noted.
Ajakaiye also noted that the state government would continue to take steps to ease the fuel subsidy removal effect on residents.
Following the declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that fuel subsidy “is gone”, and the consequent hike of petrol pump price by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCLtd), there has been a surge in transport fares across the country, leaving commuters in agony.
In most parts of the country, transport costs rose by at least 50 per cent. The ICIR reported that residents had resorted to trekking long distances to conserve transport costs, while motorists suffered from low patronage.
INFOGRAPHIC: Transportation costs in parts of Nigeria
FOLLOWING the fuel subsidy is gone declaration by @officialABAT and the consequent hike of petrol pump price by the @nnpclimited, there has been a surge in transport fares across the country, leaving commuters in great agony. pic.twitter.com/Kw4OS0J8vN
— The ICIR Data (@icirdata) June 10, 2023
The Kwara state government had reduced work days for its staff from five times to thrice a week following the surge in transportation costs.
The Head of Service, Susan Oluwole, directed heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.
Oluwole warned workers against abusing the gesture, noting that her office would intensify monitoring MDAs in the state government.
The Oyo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Joshua Adekanye advised Nigerians to embrace using bicycles as alternative means of transportation due to the fare surge across the country.
“Use of bicycle is economically cheap because the cost of a bicycle is not as expensive as using a car or motorcycle,” Adekanye said.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.