By Newsmata
The Edo City Transport Service (ECTS) is being overhauled to deliver a more efficient and affordable transportation services to the people of Edo State. Toward this end, old buses inherited from the immediate past Godwin Obaseki’s administration are being revamped while new ones are being expected by the end of February to expand the fleet for gradual resumption of inter-state commuting at subsidised rates.
Disclosing this at a media briefing in Benin, the Managing Director of the ECTS, Festus Ehimua said, “I was recently appointed, and the purpose is to do our best to ensure we put the company in shape. When I came in, we had 47 buses out of which only 12 were functioning. The rest were grounded, and it was like ECTS was sleeping. But I can tell you that we have had sleepless nights working and ensuring that ECTS comes back to life”.
Ehimua, a lawyer, gleefully announced that “There are over 30 buses on the road now as we speak, from 12. We have been doing all within our power to ensure we decongest the park, and we will do all to ensure we fix the remaining buses that are still on ground”.
While assuring Edo people that the ECTS buses would soon be made available to more routes within the state capital and other parts of the state as Governor Okpebholo was in the final stage of purchasing more maintenance-friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in addition to the revamped ones, the MD was optimistic that these buses would make transportation cheaper for Edo people, as the cost of fueling CNG buses would be cheaper, a development, he noted, could lead to further slash in the cost of transportation.
Acknowledging the present hardship occasioned by high cost of transportation due to fuel subsidy removal, Ehimua said the governor “has very good intention and that is to give the people of Edo State, reduced cost of living and transportation is one of the ways we can mitigate this high cost of living”. He asserted that the comfort and wellbeing of Edo people was non-negotiable.
According to him, “One of the reasons things are very expensive today in the market is the high cost of transportation, so, the governor has the intention of making sure there is reduced transportation for Edo people so that the cost of living will also be reduced. So, he is working very hard to ensure that before the end of February, we get new buses, CNG buses, to be able to give Edo people a better living”.
Commending Governor Okpebholo’s efforts in fixing the bad roads within the Benin metropolis, the MD said the ECTS buses would cover more routes and longer distances as the road takes on new look. He noted that this would afford more Edo people the opportunity to access and make use of the highly subsidised bus services.
He also emphasised the resolve of the new administration to ensure effective maintenance and sustenance of the transportation services by ensuring the acquisition of standard buses with easily accessible spare parts, which he noted was a major departure from the past.
Staff of the Agency also expressed delight and satisfaction with the perceived pragmatic approach of the new management which they noted, had not only helped revamp the almost moribund establishment, but injected new life into the system through a convivial and cordial working environment, which they said had led to improved staff motivation and efficiency.
A cross-section of commuters appreciated the state government and the new ECTS management for the improved services which had made their recent experience with the transport agency better and more enjoyable and sued for its sustenance.
Newsmata recalls that Obaseki, in the attendant hardship foisted on Nigerians due to fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023, had on September 11, introduced a free transport scheme to cushion the effect of high cost of commuting for an initial two-month period. It was further extended for another three months in November, terminating in February 2024.
An attempt by Governor Okpebholo to revive the scheme on November 27 was immediately aborted due to logistics challenges and unclear modus operandi.
The ECTS was established in 1993, with a mission to provide “safe, reliable, affordable, accessible, and comfortable public transportation”. It however did not start operations until year 2000. With it headquarters at Ramat Park, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, the company has over the years operated intra-and inter-city routes and provided hundreds of employments to Edo people.