Mutfwang’s 365 days and the state transport sector

BY  EZEKIEL DONTINNA & JIDAUNA DARING

IT is held in some quarters that one year in office is simply a period for planning programmes and projects to execute in the succeeding days of one’s tenure in office. The story is quite different in the present day Plateau under a new astute and focused leader.

On assumption of office on May 29, 2023, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang of Plateau State was immediately confronted by the challenges and macro-economic distortions caused by the abolition of the petroleum subsidy regime. One of the measures the Governor put in place immediately to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal was to intervene directly with cheaper options to ameliorate the transportation problems this caused the masses. Removal of petroleum subsidy did not only shoot up the cost of transportation, it spiralled the prices of other household items and services, and generally sparked an inflationary trend that the economy is yet to recover from.

Knowing how important the Yuletide and New Year celebrations are to his people, Governor Mutfwang, in the heat of the hardships, offered free transportation to convey citizens who wanted to travel to their respective hometowns across the State. The Governor also eased the plight of travellers by ensuring the smooth movement of goods and other essential commodities through the resuscitation of the Plateau Express Services, popularly known as ‘Plateau Riders’. Above all, German-made luxury buses have been procured by the state government, which were recently commissioned, to further ease and cut down the cost of transportation within the Jos and Bukuru metropolis. branded Tin City Metro Bus Services with the slogan, ‘RIDE TO THE NEW HEIGHTS’, this transportation intervention has the potential of boosting the socio-economic lives of citizens who have come under severe strain through the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy. One can attest to the fact that, these metro buses are already plying major roads within Jos/Bukuru metropolis. This fit is still being celebrated by citizens because it has hugely eased the transportation needs of people.

Until now, successive administrations in the state tried to resuscitate the old Jos Tin City Bus Services without success. It is not out of place to say that children born in the late 80s can only remember what Tin City buses used to be only as part of their History lesson in school. Unfortunately, the Tin City Bus Service went under, possibly due to either mismanagement or negligence on the part of the authorities concerned. However, the most recent reviewed and repositioned concept of the Plateau Express Services Limited is a fitting corollary of the development aspirations of the people.

The coming of Governor Mutfwang, the Plateau Express Services Limited is being given a new lease of life. It is interesting to know that the transport company has officially launched 2 Coaster buses – the Plateau Logistics, a mobile booking APP, and over 20 new Sienna buses that are currently plying the Jos-Abuja rooute.

According to the PESL General Manager, Mr. Samuel J. Gwott, the company has opened up 5 revenue channels as he noted that “these channels have been approved and are now being registered as subsidiaries; and we are currently being repositioned to operate as a group of companies.

The General Manager said “we have: Plateau Riders Services Ltd and Tin City Metro Services Ltd is the only arm that is palliative or a social programme and a quick intervention to alleviate the sufferings of commuters within the metropolis) which has been commissioned by Governor Mutfwang on May 7, 2024; Plateau Express Logistics Ltd; Plateau Express Learning Hub Ltd, and the Plateau Express Automobile Ltd”.

Meanwhile, residents of Jos and Bukuru Metropolis have continued to shower accolades on Governor Caleb Mutfwang for introducing the Metro City Bus to cushion the high cost of transportation on citizens.

Speaking separately with THE NIGERIA STANDARD, Mr. Bamidele Emmanuel Abiodun described the initiative as a welcome development to the state economically, noting that the gesture will go a long way in improving the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

The duo called on “Time is Now” Captain, Barrister Caleb Mutfwamg to add more Metro City Buses so that people would not be waiting for too long before getting one to board to a given destination.

Both Yitpowe and Abiodum appealed to the State Government to erect bus-stop shades for passengers waiting for the buses that ply all the routes, as they observe that doing so would not make the passengers to stay in the sun or rain while waiting for the buses.

The duo is also of the opinion that the State Government should charge N100 for short distances, while N200 is enough for long distances.

They also advised on the imperative of maintenance of the buses and other vehicles in the fleet of the State transport outfit.

The residents of Jos and environs also applauded Governor Mutfwang for his efforts towards reviving the railway transport system which has been abandoned for long in the state.

Speaking on the on-going work on the rail track, Sharsohot Nanma described the Governor’s decision to bring back the railway transport as a welcome idea which needs to be supported by all and sundry.

Nanma called on the Government to ensure the full implementation of railway transport as it would help to ease the stress caused by insufficient mass transport vehicles in Plateau and beyond.