By Jennifer John
Imo State Government has concluded arrangements to float modern inter-town mass transit, to provide affordable transportation to Imolites.
This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma on Mass Transit, Hon. Anthony Emeka Anyaehie during an interview with newsmen in his office at the state Government House, Owerri, recently.
He described Governor Hope Uzodimma as a visionary man, with lots of plans to transform the state into a modern model state.
According to the S.A., the governor has plans to provide a modern, affordable, and economically driven, inter-town mass transit system that will cover the majority of the parts of the state and make the state compete favorably with modern countries of the world in the mass transit sector.
He said the transformation will be in stages, starting from anterior roads, as the mass transit system will work on the anterior roads.
“We are going to have designated bus stops where these transit buses are going to stop. We are going to catheterize it.
“It is going to give employment to at least one thousand Imolites who are going to be involved in the selling of tickets. They will be the agents who will go to the designated offices and buy the ticket and sell them to commuters.
“All the commuters need to do is buy the ticket (which serves as his/her transport fare) from the agent and drop the ticket inside the bus. The drivers are not going to collect any money. Also, the buses are going to be equipped with security features, such as CCT cameras. The dangers associated with conventional mass transit will not be there”.
He said the government mass transit system will start with the five anterior roads; Owerri to Orlu, Owerri to Okigwe, Owerri to Umuahia, Owerri to Obinze, and Owerri to Okpala Junction, as the buses will stop at the designated bus stops to pick up Imolites at a cheap rate.
“There is no conductor, everything will be automated. That is what the governor has, he wants an organized society. Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma is a man who wants to leave his footprints in the sands of time. He wants to be the greatest governor Imo State ever had”.
Anyaehie further revealed a plan by the state government to provide free transportation for students in the state, to school between 6 am-8 am and between 2 pm to 4 pm from school within Owerri metropolis.
He recalled that it is not the first time the governor has created a free mass transit system for the people of Imo State, as he had already created one for the civil servants in the state.
