STUDENT GRAON AS FREE SCHOOL BUSESS DISAPPEARS IN ENUGU

School children in the city
of Enugu who had enjoyed
free transport services in
the State have lamented
over the sudden
disappearance of the free buses introduced last year
by the state government
for their comfort. The state government had in
January last year announced
the introduction of free
transport services for primary
school pupils and secondary
school students in the state. The State Commissioner for
Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke,
who disclosed this then, said
the service would be provided
by the government owned Coal
City shuttle buses. Ugwoke said that the services
would operate in all parts of
the state between 6:30am and
8am to 3pm daily. He however
added that the buses will only
pick up students in school uniform. The commissioner explained
that government's decision in
the said direction was in line
with the administration of
Governor Chime's resolve to
improve on the quality of education and make commuting
for students easier, convenient
and most affordable. However, DailyPost enquiry
showed that none of the
Luxurious buses earmarked for
the purpose was still rendering
such service to the students. It was gathered that the
buses, which rendered skeletal
services between February and
March last year, were later
withdrawn completely. Some of the students
interviewed expressed
disappointment over the
development, calling on the
state government to fulfil the
promise it made to them. "We used to see the bus once
in a while last year but after
sometimes, they disappeared.
Even when they used to come,
they were not enough at all,
but something was better than nothing. "We are begging the
government to fulfil their
promise by bringing those
buses back. We shall be grateful
if they do that", one of the
students said. For another student, Miss Uju
Okoro, "the government
shouldn't have made this
promise to us at all if they
were not ready to fulfill it.
Some of us walk very long distance every day before we
get to our house, so, we saw
those free buses as a relief,
but the buses did not operate
for more than three months. It
is so bad of the government". Effort made to obtain
comments from government
failed as the State
Commissioner for education, Dr.
Simon Ortuanya did not reply
to the text message sent to his mobile phone.