Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Edo State House of Assembly on Monday adopted a Resolution allowing the State Government to access a N2, 320 million loan from the Bank of Infrastructure to purchase 75 units of 40-seater buses for the government-owned Edo City Transport Service (ECTS).
Acting on a letter from the Governor requesting a Resolution for a loan to purchase the buses at the cost of N30.8 million each, the lawmakers said the buses when procured, will help reduce transportation problems in the State.
The Majority Leader of the House, Roland Asoro, who moved the motion for the Resolution, urged other members of the House to support the Resolution.
“I want to move that the House pass this Resolution to enable the Executive Governor to secure thie facility for the ECTS,” he said, noting that Governor Obaseki has shown that he means well for the people of the State.
The Deputy Leader, Tony Aghedo, who secondded the Motion, said he had the mandate of the people of his Ovia South-West Constituency, to support the Motion to ensure that the Governor would be able to access the loan to ease the problem of transportation in the State.
He said: “Edo State used to be an example for transport business in this country. So many States have emulated Edo because of the transport business that we operate here. We have properties all over the country.”
He added that reviving the State-owned transport company will go a long way to boost the source of income of the State.
Speaker of the House, Kabiru Adjoto, said the loan could not have come at a time better than now when the people are groaning under the hike of transport fare in the State.
He added that with the adoption of the Resolution, the State Governor can go ahead and take the loan from the Bank of Infrastructure for the purchase of the buses.