- Peter Obi raises concerns over the effective implementation and sustainability of the Federal Government’s 50% slash in interstate bus fares
- Obi emphasizes the need for concrete arrangements and awareness among transporters to ensure the policy’s success and address public suffering
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last election, has raised concerns over the implementation of the Federal Government’s 50% slash in interstate bus fares during the Yuletide season.
In a series of tweets on Friday, Obi expressed his reservations and posed questions about the intervention’s effective execution. President Bola Tinubu had earlier approved a 50% reduction in the price of interstate transport fares for Nigerians traveling during the Yuletide, along with free train rides for commuters within the specified period.
While commending the initiative, Obi stated, “If fully implemented as reported, I consider this first-time intervention of the government, intended to help the masses, a step in the right direction.” However, he raised concerns about the sustainability of such emergency measures and their impact after the festive season.
Obi questioned the existence of a sustainable policy to cushion the masses from ongoing high transportation costs and expressed doubts about the implementation’s effectiveness. He highlighted operational challenges and the lack of awareness among transporters in major parks across various cities, according to feedback he received.
The former governor emphasized the need for deliberate and concrete arrangements with transport companies to ensure the effective implementation of such policies. He urged the government to be sensitive to the suffering of the Nigerian people, stating, “The Nigerian people are going through untold hardship, and the government must not remain insensitive to their suffering.”
