Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticized President Tinubu’s 50% transportation fare reduction during the festive season, citing a lack of transparency in the implementation details.
Obi raises concerns about the fate of travelers post-holidays and questions the inclusivity of the policy, calling for a more deliberate arrangement with transport companies.
It could be recall that President Tinubu had declared a generous waiver on transport fares for interstate road travelers throughout Christmas and New Year.
Expressing his disappointment through a statement released via X, Peter Obi raised valid concerns about the fate of Nigerians after the festive season and the oversight regarding those who had already traveled before the transportation fare reduction was announced.
The former Governor of Anambra state conducted an investigation revealing that many transporters in major parks across the country were not consulted or informed about the decision of the Federal Government.
Obi argued that the policy, intended to benefit the masses, should have been more inclusive, especially for the less privileged. He emphasized the necessity for a well-thought-out arrangement with transport companies to ensure effective implementation.
“I read the reports of the President’s approval of a 50 percent slash in the price of interstate transport fare for Nigerians traveling during this Yuletide… I consider this first-time intervention of the government a step in the right direction. However, the major concern about such emergency measures is what follows afterwards,” said Peter Obi.
The presidential hopeful questioned the sustainability of the policy and raised operational challenges, highlighting that many people had already incurred substantial costs for their travels. Obi’s contacts, who conducted on-the-spot investigations in various cities, reported that transporters in major parks were unaware of the 50% discount.
With skepticism about the integrity of the intervention effort, Obi called for transparent policy implementation, stating, “Compassion on the part of the government is a good thing, but it should not be an avenue for exploiting the weak structures of government.” This critique adds a new dimension to the ongoing discourse surrounding the government’s attempts to alleviate the financial burden on citizens during the holiday season.
