Ekiti Reforms Public Transport to Improve Revenue Generation
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Amid deepening fiscal crisis crippling governance at all levels, the Ekiti State Government has initiated public transport sector reforms aimed at boosting its internally generating and improving security commuters across the state.
Under the reforms, the state government introduced an ultra-modern bus terminal awarded to Planet Project Limited with a plan to transform the state’s public transport system to a similitude of Ikeja Bus Terminal in Lagos State.
The Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Diran Adesua explained this plan in Ado Ekiti at the weekend during an on-the-spot assessment of the bus terminal being constructed by the state government.
The government posited that the bus reform programme, conceived by Governor Kayode Fayemi, would transform the transport system and prevent lawlessness associated with the land transportation business in the state.
Speaking on the bus terminal Friday, Adesua explained that Fayemi found nauseating and worrisome the indiscriminate establishment of motor parks along the roads, which often blocked the highways and impeded free flow of vehicles.
With the prevalence of abduction and killing being experienced on highways nationwide, Adesua said the concept would ensure security of lives and property through proper documentation and regimentation of the flow of buses in and out of the state.
Adesua said the project was conceptualised mainly “to correct the menace of poor transportation and chaotic traffic management in Ekiti, so that we can have an improved and modern urban landscape.
“It will not only correct the problem of indiscriminate siting of motor parks that used to obstruct free flow of vehicles, but it will ensure safety of passengers and ease the means of doing business with our transporters.”
He explained how the project would help to regulate the operations of commercial drivers in and out of Ekiti, saying with this facility in place, all commercial buses and cars would converge at the terminal, where passengers leaving Ekiti to any other part of the country can take off after procuring tickets and with their identities and luggage captured on the manifest.
He explained that rather than taking vehicles from different parts of the state, the passengers “will converge here for inter-state movements. We do not want this illegal boarding of vehicles that has caused deaths with many declared missing.
“The passengers are expected to be here to get their tickets and get their identities captured on the manifest. With these, all passengers and their luggage can be accounted for. This is one major advantage we will derive from it.
“You will agree with me that all the parks in Ado Ekiti are unbefitting. They parked indiscriminately and picked passengers anywhere. This is undesirable. We believe we deserve something better.
“We do not have rail. We are still working on the airport. So, the land transportation that is the only viable means must be well done and made convenient for the commuters,” Adesua explained.
He, also, explained how the bus terminal “will help to upscale revenue and monitor the activities of operators. When passengers and transporters are all brought here, the state government can easily monitor their activities, regulate their operations and draw revenue from the transportation sector.
“There will be little taxes payable to the state government that will help our revenue base. It is not something that will not be affordable unlike now when there is no proper documentation.
“In advanced nations like the United States, what transport business generates cannot be quantified. Despite the bigness of some of the states in the US, they built only one bus terminal to control the activities of operators for revenue generation and security of their states,” the commissioner explained.
Adesua disclosed that the bus terminal could contain 300 buses at a time among other facilities designed to guarantee commuters and operators optimal comfort.
According to him, the bus terminal has two sections. Section B consists of the Arrival and Waiting Lounge, Banking Hall, Ticketing, Loading Base and Departure. Section A has the waiting area, conveniences, eatery, retail outlet, luggage rooms and fire services.
He explained that there would be accommodation for the Police Post, Fire Services and men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency “to carry out their operations to reduce activities of those he branded as “touts” and control abuse of hard drugs.
The commissioner said the bus terminal, being executed by Planet Project Limited, a firm that specialises in conceiving, developing and maintaining public transport infrastructure would be completed by July 2022.
