By Sebastine Ebhuomhan
I applaud Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, for deeming fit to reduce the working days of workers and students in Edo State from five to three. Although it is still in the pipeline, l also applaud him for planning to introduce free Internet service to workers, to cushion subsidy effects in the state.
Without undermining or understating the positive impacts of such efforts geared towards providing good governance on the lives of workers and students, one must pause to reflect the negative impacts it may have too. For example, on the curriculum and proper education of students as well as on the wellbeing of workers and teachers.
According to the government, the time for education has been adjusted and increased to accommodate the reduced days. Yet, it can not be argued that that is not the best way to learn in this modern age.
While the man the Governor obviously followed, fellow Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak of Kwara State, who first announced reduced working days for workers and students, has gone ahead today to roll-out government buses to cater to the transport needs of the state’s citizens in critical sectors, it behoves one to ask questions about the state of public transportation in Edo State.
Where are Edo State Goverment’s Comrade Buses? What is the true state of the hundreds of Comrade Buses provided by Obaseki’s predecessor, ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole? If they’re no longer serviceable, how many new buses has Mr. Governor purchased to replace the bad or unserviceable ones? Governor Obaseki once praised his government for engaging the Lady Mechanic to repair faulty vehicles at the Government House. Why didn’t he extend the same action to the buses that the public stands to benefit from at this critical time of struggle?
Before Comrade Buses, there was Edo City Transport Service (ECTS), whose buses and cars were allowed to breakdown and rust in their abandoned states. This government had in the past blamed the past ones for the poor maintenance and criminal abandonment that killed ECTS. Has the same government attitude now been extended to the Comrade Buses?
Reducing the number of working days for workers and school days for students is good. Any time it eventually does it, providing free Internet service is also good; especially in a situation like in Edo State now where virtual learning is totally absent. In spite of these commendable efforts, every sane citizen will also agree that the best thing to do now is to provide subsidised public transport service through state government-owned and operated transport service, which will help to bring down the cost of private transporters.
I passionately urge Governor Obaseki to quickly think along this line to further ameliorate subsidy removal-induced sufferings of Edo people. It will be to his name and glory, if his government can provide free or subsidised transportation for the citizens at this critical time.
Sebastine is a journalist. He writes from Abuja. He can be reached on: usie007@yahoo.com or 08037204620.
