Favour Ozioma Ogbodo
Some Nigerians have expressed doubts over the Federal Government (FG)’s announcement of 50% price slash on transportation fares and free train rides for the yuletide season, saying it is all propaganda.
On Wednesday, the Minister of Solid Mineral Alake Dele, disclosed that from December 21, 2023 to Thursday, January 4, 2024, all cost of interstate travels will be discounted 50 percent by the FG.
He added that President Bola Tinubu also directed that all trains should operate at no cost to their passengers within the stated period.
However, some Nigerians have queried the sincerity of the offer, saying it is when passengers get to the stations that they will find out if the news is true or not.
A twitter user, @_RilwanAkintola, noted that the government does not own the buses or the drivers, so the announcement cannot work.
“This propaganda won’t help anybody. Which bus did they provide for the transportation company or did they slash oil prices? Some of us go collect for bus station,” he stated.
Another user, @Ajay_U80422, concluded that the FG is definitely lying.
“What’s the name of this stupid lie?” he wrote. ”Where are the buses the FG provided and when did they slash the fuel pump price? ”Transportation from Lagos State to Benue State for some days now is 20k. And my family did pay same today as they journeyed home.
Action we need, not audio announcement.”
For @Vhee1105639, it is ‘fake news’ because ”the government don’t (sic) have right over commercial (vehicles) and this is definitely a false news.
“How possible? Does gov’t have control over these commercial bus drivers Why is APC always lying?”
Another X user went further to analyse that APC government is just creating more corruption portals like the palliative portal.
He wrote, “TINUBU 50% INTERSTATE TRANSPORT PALLIATIVE IS LIKELY MORE A CORRUPTION PORTAL THAN PALLIATIVE PACKAGE.
”Tinubu’s offer of 50% cut in interstate transport cost to Nigerians for yuletide travels lacks, certainly lacks facility for efficient implementation. No existing electronic/digital tools to carry it out. It is very more likely to feed corruption.
”It will be a miracle if over 70% of what will later be reported as expenditure for this project wouldn’t have been stolen.
”For those traveling along the Eastern axis, Tinubu should take take the numerous Security Checkpoints off the roads and replace them with mobile patriots. No doubt, this will be valued by the people than the 50% cost cut.
”Nigerians must not forget that a major player in the Transport Unions in Nigeria is MC Oluomo, the man that was responsible for voters intimidation in the 2023 presidential election in Lagos.
”It is further ridiculous and embarrassing that Tinubu’s Minister, Mr. Dele Alake, while announcing that the 50% cut, referred to air travel, the only reasonable safe way to travel in Nigerian presently, as ‘luxury’. Indeed, safety has become luxury in Nigeria. Very unfortunate.
”Some say, there was a country.”
