Osun unveils 19 buses as subsidy palliatives to convey civil servants, students

…spends N25million from FG N2billon on bus refurbishment

Blessing Akorowosi, Osogbo

Osun State Government, on Monday rolled out 19 buses to convey civil servants, students and indigent residents to and from various destinations within towns in the state.

The buses, named Imole buses were formally omoluabi buses of a past administration, now refurbished with a sum of N25.2 million from the N2billion federal government palliative given to the state to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy.

According to a statement by the state commissioner for information and public enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi on Tuesday, a token amount will be collected from the passengers to be used for the smooth running and maintenance of the buses.

He said, “the government wishes to emphasise 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 road worthiness so as to be able to carry out the new services of conveyance of people.

“Osogbo the Osun 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. The remaining two of the buses are kept on a standby for other contingencies that may likely come up from time to time.

“With Osogbo, the capital of Osun state, used as a pilot scheme for the official commencement of Imole bus palliatives shuttle services, the government wishes to announce, with all sense of responsibility, that the bus services will be made to go round other towns and cities of the state very soon.”

Alimi added that the buses are to work on two shifts daily as they ply all the officially designated routes, morning and afternoon of Mondays through Fridays.

“The morning services will be between 6:45 am and 9:00 am while the afternoon shuttles will be between 3pm and 5 pm daily,” he noted.