VAM News update
THE Osun State Government on Tuesday said it spent a total sum of Twenty Five Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty Eight Naira to refurbish 19 Omoluabi buses which will serve as palliative to cushion the effect of petroleum subsidy for the people of the state.
The refurbished vehicles were procured during the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
However, most of the buses were left to ruin by the last administration on the state.
The state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Osogbo.
According to Alimu, the money was spent to ensure the vehicle’s roadworthiness to be able to carry out the new services of conveyance of people.
According to the statement, Osogbo the state capital had five of the buses officially assigned to it for commuting people to the already earmarked routes.
Ede, Iwo and Ikirun had two each while the people of Ife/ Modakeke and Ilesha had 3 each while two of the buses are kept on standby for other contingencies that may likely come up from time to time.
The statement read in part, “The public is to similarly note that the 19 buses, each christened “Imole Bus” are to specifically convey civil servants, students and the poorest of the poor residents of the state to their various destinations at a token amount, which in turn, will be used by the government from time to time for the smooth running and maintenance of the buses.
“The Government wishes to emphasize that virtually all the buses due to their almost grounded status and off the road conditions cost a total sum of 25,274,288.00 (Twenty-Five Million, Two Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty-Eight Naira) to ensure their roadworthiness so as to be able to carry out the new services of conveyance of people.
“The buses, it must be noted, are to work on two shifts daily as they ply all the officially designated routes, morning and afternoon of Mondays through Fridays.
“According to the arrangements, the morning services will be between 6:45 am and 9:00 am while the afternoon shuttles will be between 3 pm and 5 pm daily.”