The Kogi State House of Assembly has called on the State Government to expand and strengthen the state mass transit system in Lokoja township for development.
In a motion of urgent public importance, the lawmaker representing Lokoja I State Constituency, Bin Ebaiya Shehu-Tijani, on Thursday, said residents of Lokoja are faced with indiscriminate charges by commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators.
The lawmaker said transportation is an economic factor for development which does not only provide market accessibility but a major economic factor of production of goods and services.
Bin Ebaiya who noted that the establishment of Kogi Express was to provide a world class intra and inter-city and inter-state transport service, said the poor management of the company has deflated the achievement of the objective.
“Citizens of the State in Lokoja the State Capital are now left at the mercy of private keke and okada riders, whose charges are not regulated but indiscriminate,” he said.
The lawmaker expressed concern that Lokoja the State Capital despite the location of the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue does not have an efficient mass transit system as well as functional water transport system.
He called on the state government to direct the Ministry of Transportation to conduct an immediate assessment of the Kogi State Transport Company with a view to improving the company to a standard transport service provider.
Seconding the motion, the member representing Dekina Biraidu State Constituency, Usman Ochidi appealed to the state government to set up committee to monitor price of petrol so as to reduce the hike in price of private transport system.
Member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency, Jibril Abuh and that of Okene II, Yusuf Zakari while aligning themselves with the motion, praised the lawmaker for the timely motion in view of the effect of increased cost of petrol.
The Deputy Speaker, Comfort Unwuchola Egwuaba who presided over the sitting, thanked the lawmaker for moving the timely motion and urged the appropriate quarter to do the needful.
