FG transport subsidy: Over 6,000 passengers, 700 vehicles benefitted from Oshodi Terminal

More than 6,000 passengers using the Oshodi Terminal in Lagos have benefited from the 50 percent subsidy scheme on transport fares introduced by the Federal Government in December for passengers travelling on 30 routes services by bus operators, under the umbrella of the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON).

Managing Director, Planet Projects, Abiodun Otunola, disclosed this in Lagos, on Thursday.

Otunola, who was briefing the media at the closing events of the initiative, expressed delight that the  programme had  positively impacted many Nigerians, as evidenced in the surge in the number of travellers, recorded during the period at the terminal.

He added that the exercise, which started on December 22, saw passengers travelling to different parts of the country leverage the initiative,  resulting in over 35 percent increase, compared to the number of passengers, normally recorded during such period at the terminal.

“We’ve been managing this terminal for the past five years, and for the first time, we are seeing over 35 percent increase compared to the number of passengers we  would normally have recorded during the period. It only means Nigerians are taking advantage of the fact that there is 50 percent reduction in transport fare.

“As you know, transport is one of the pain-points of fuel subsidy removal, because of this laudable programme of the Federal Government, a lot of Nigerians have been trooping in morning, afternoon, evening to take advantage of the  50 percent discount.

“From this terminal we’ve done over 6,000 passengers, and close  to 700 vehicles, which is far higher than what we normally have during Christmas period,” he stated.

Also speaking on the initiative, Operations Manager, Planet  Projects, Oshodi Transport Interchange, Kolawole Babatunde explained that part of the mandates of the company was to supervise, monitor and ensure that the funds, earmarked for the project were dispensed directly to the passengers.

“It has been so far, so good. Since flagging off the exercise on December 22, last year, we can confirm that passengers travelling from the terminal have benefitted, some to the tune of N15,000, depending on the cost of the transportation to their destinations,” he stated.

Expressing her delight at the initiative, one of the beneficiaries, Mariam Ogunbiyi, however wanted the date extended.

Mariam, a student of Kwara State Polytechnic, who was on her way to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, described the  Federal Government’s initiative as a necessary intervention during the period, when Nigerians are contending with a lot of issues, noting that an extension of such dates would make it to have further impact on the people.