By Moses Akawe
Transportation is an important sector that contributes greatly to the socio-economic development of any society. This is because it facilitates the movement of people, goods and services from one place to another, provides employment opportunities for different categories of people, as well as generates revenue for the government.
It is an indisputable fact that one of the key drivers of the transport sector in Nigeria is petroleum, be it Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel, diesel, or jet oil to mention but a few.
Though Nigeria is one of the oil producing countries in the world with huge deposits of crude oil in many of its state, since the coming on board of President Tinubu’s administration, Nigerians have been experiencing difficult times occasioned by fuel subsidy removal, which has made them to pay for refined petroleum products through their noses given the high cost.
In order to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal, governments at both federal and state levels have continued to put in place a number of measures including procurement of Electric and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, introduction of wage award, reduction in work days for civil servants (by some states) and conversion of petrol vehicles to use CNG, as well as distribution of food items to citizens, among others.
In Benue State, the Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia’s administration too is not left behind as it has continued to introduce different interventions aimed at reducing the hardship being faced by the citizens as a result of the fuel subsidy removal
The most recent of these interventions is the introduction of town service buses in Makurdi by the state-owned transport company, Benue Links, a development that has been applauded by many residents in Makurdi.
Though critics have queried the use of old vehicles for these purpose, it is instructive to note that even though the buses used are old ones, the fact remains that they have been refurbished and so can be used for the purpose for which they are meant.
In fact, the management team of Benue Links Company should continue to work assiduously towards ensuring that more of such buses are refurbished and put on the roads to cover more routes in Makurdi and its environs, as well as provide affordable transportation for students, civil servants and other categories of users.
It is also a truism that since the creation of Benue State in 1976 and subsequent establishment of Benue Links Company Limited, there has been no such initiative by any past management of the company until the current Comrade Alexander Fanafa- led administration. Additionally, the company has never enjoyed the kind of support and attention being given to it by the current administration, since its creation. This also extends to the patronage it now has.
There is no gain stressing the fact that the Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia government is hugely supporting and transforming Benue Links Company Limited to operate maximally and in return, the company is living up to the task before it and consequently delivering qualitative services to travelers within and outside the state.
For the records, the Alia administration within a short time in office procured 100 buses for the company, gave its premises a facelift and constructed some drainage channels to check perennial flooding of the company’s headquarters during rainy season, among many other interventions. These have gone a long way in positively affecting the company’s performances
It is evident that the support given to Benue Links Company by the current administration has no doubt been responsible for the reduction in transport fares by other transport companies operating in the state, thereby providing relatively affordable means of transportation for citizens.
Moreover, repositioning the state’s transport company has provided employment opportunities for a lot of Benue indigenes, boosted revenue generation of the state, and supported businesses around the park to thrive.
So far, the management of Benue Links has demonstrated effectiveness and efficiency in managing the company and by extension assuaged the pain of Benue people. No gainsaying that sustaining the achievement and even surpassing it will further lessen the burden of the current extremely harsh economic times in the country
Akawe, a staff of BPPC, writes from Makurdi
