From Maurice Okafor,Enugu.
The Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, has been urged to revitalise the state owned Mass transit buses bought during exgovernor Sullivan Chime’s administration, for conveyance of workers and other residents, as part of measures to cushion the effects of economic hardship brought about by the removal of the fuel subsidy policy of the federal government.
Governor Mbah was equally tasked to clear all salary arrears owed to workers and parastatals in the state, the gratuties and pension owed to pensioners in the state, as a means of ensuring that the residents are empowered to enhance cash flow in the society and increase purchasing power of the residents.
Guests and other public affairs analysts who participated in the popular radio programme known as ‘Freedom Square’ anchored by Dr Uchenna Cyril Anioke on Solid 100.9 FM Enugu, made the passionate plea on Saturday,July 22.
Lamenting that the cost of transportation has sky rocketed with over two hundred percent, they pleaded with Governor Mbah as a matter of urgent attention to order for the revalitation of the state owned buses and re introduce them on the roads at reduced cost.
Dr Obasi Obasi envisaged that the introduction of the buses will play a double role by helping the government of Enugu State to win it’s current battle against Monday sit at home, stating that workers and other private sector business owners will be bold to join the government mass transit buses,from various points to their respective offices.
His words: ‘The fact remains that most people especially the workers are not happy staying at home on Mondays, but abscond from work due to increasing cost of transportation. Therefore the re introduction of the government owned mass transit buses in Enugu state is what the government needs to overcome the plaque of sit at home’
He suggested a situation where transport on Mondays by the government buses will be free for every worker on Mondays and at a reduced cost on other working days for both workers, traders and every other member of the society.
Another analyst, Comrade Chinedu Nwobodo, corroborated that the state government can still offset transport bills of the residents on private buses by going into partnership with owners and foot the accummulated bills of commuters thereafter, as will be submitted by the various transporters engaged by the government.
They tasked Governor Mbah to use his wealth of experience garnered in the Oil and Gas industry to bear in growing the economy of Enugu, especially at this point in time the removal of fuel subsidy is imposing economic hardship on residents of the state.
According to them, another measure in this direction is to ensure prompt payment of salaries and wages of the workers, clearing all arrears of pension and gratuties etc to enhance the purchasing power of the citizens.
They pleaded with the state government to further intervene in subsidising the health care of the people just as former Governor Sullivan Chime at a point introduced free maternal health care for pregnant mothers in the state.
They urged Governor Mbah to consider offsetting the cost of text books for pupils and students in the state, as part of his intervention in the education sector. They also urged him to bankroll the cost of enrolling for external exams(WAEC) for students who will be involved the current academic session, as part of measures to cushion the ugly effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
Governor Mbah was also urged to grant tax holidays to lower cadre of workers in the state and move for a single digit loan system from banks for intending local investors in the state.
They also proffered the initiative of a change over to usage of ‘Conventional natural gas(CNG)’ as a measure of curtailig usage of fuel on generators.
Both discussants and calles who participated in the programme described the fuel subsidy removal as inflicted injury on the masses by the federal government.
However, in proferring solution that will remedy the situation, they said both the local government chairmen. traditional rulers and church leaders must get involved and be committed in ensuring that the poorest of the poor are captured in the registeration for the N8.000 palliative allowance provided by the federal government.
“This is the time for National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to move from state to state, local government to local government to capture the poor and needy. Religious leaders in the various Churches, Mosques and even leaders of traditional worshippers should be involved in identifying the poorest of the poor. Government at al levels must be prudent in choosing the very poor for the proposed N8,000 palliatives. It will not be business as usual and must not be given a political colouration.
Many of the callers expressed doubt that the sharing of the palliatives will still reach most of the targeted Nigerians, stating that government should have deployed such funds in revitalising the refineries, fighting insecurity scourge and development of functional industries.
