…Receives 36,875 credentials from workers for verification
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Abia State Government, has announced plans to introduce Compressed Natural Gas, CNG-powered buses for intra-state shuttle.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who disclosed this during a press briefing after the State Executive Council meeting, said it was part of the proactive measures by Government to cushion the effects of proposed restrictions on the operation of tricycles and motorcycles in the state.
Recall that the State Government had postponed by one month, its earlier directive restricting the operation of tricycle and motorcycle from 6:am to 7pm initially billed to commence on July 1.
The Commissioner who explained that the shift in date was sequel to pleas from members of the public to the Governor, said that Government would roll out CNG-powered buses to help close the gap if any, that might be created when the implementation of the restriction on tricycle operations would take effect by August.
He also said the move was part of Government’s efforts to sustain the successes already recorded concerning the extension of business hours.
“To sustain the gains made by government with regards to extending business hours in the state particularly in Aba and Umuahia, the state government will embark on a number of initiatives with a view to filling whatever gaps may be created by the introduction of restrictions.
“As part of the incentives to operators in the transport sector to drive this new policy, the state government plans to introduce CNG – powered buses to complement whatever gaps that would be created by the full implementation of restriction policy.
“The arrangement will be such that keke and Okada operators will form cooperatives or clusters to access these buses and the bottom line is to ensure that commuters still move around especially during this period of restriction.
“As a listening government and in response to the pleas and yearnings of Abians which we got through various feedback channels , the State Government decided to extend the enforcement of that policy by one month to enable all stakeholders to get more prepared for the effective implementation and enforcement of the policy.”
On the upload of workers’ academic credentials for verification, the Commissioner said that a total of “36,875 academic certificates have been uploaded.”
According to him, a total of 25,458 career documents have equally been uploaded while 7,582 have been moved to various institutions for verification.
The Commissioner who commended workers who uploaded their credentials for complying with the Government directive, urged those yet to do so, to take advantage of the ongoing window of opportunity or have themselves to blame.
He further said that despite the rains, work was still in progress in the various road projects awarded by the State Government.
Prince Kanu disclosed that “the designs for the expansion of Abia Tower to Onuimo road is in progress just as other road rehabilitation and reconstruction works are going on.”
Meanwhile, responding to question on the deplorable state of Club Road by Cooperative Umuahia, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that plans were being perfected to relocate traders at Isigate with a view to “cleaning up the entire place.”
“Government’s is intentional about clearing the mess there as well as relocate the people there and those that are at isigate.
“We are a Government of due process. Government had concluded plans to relocate all those at Isigate. But if we ask them to leave the place without an alternative, we would have caused a lot of economic challenges for people there.
“A very strategic place has been identified and Government is about to acquire it. So, it is the same thing that we are going to do in Cooperatives.” Mr. Ekeoma explained.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, who was also at the briefing, said Government would not have difficulty installing gas stations for conversion to CNG.
He also hinted that plans were at an advanced stage for a the establishment of electric car plant in Abia by a private investor.
