Ondo Announces Free Shuttle Buses for Students, Public Servants, Other Palliatives

Fidelis David in Akure

As part of measures to cushion the effect of  the fuel subsidy removal, Ondo State government yesterday, announced free shuttle buses for students and public servants in the state till December 31st, 2023.

The State Commissioner for Finance and Chairman, Palliative Strategy and Implementation Committee, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, who stated this at a press conference in Akure, said unconditional cash transfer of N10,000 for three months would be given to selected vulnerable persons in every local government and all pensioners in the state will get N10,000 each starting from August till December 2023.

His words: “The government will restore free shuttle buses for students starting from resumption in September, till December 31st.
“Thereafter, affordable rates will be charged from January 2024. In like manner, free shuttle boats equipped with life jackets for students in riverine areas starting at resumption in September, till December 31st. Thereafter, affordable rates will be charged from January 2024.

“We will immediately deploy all existing buses in all MDA’S to serve as free shuttle buses to public servants till December 31st. Additional CNG BUSES will be purchased to convey of public servants, to and from work at no cost to them, till December 31st.”
Akinterinwa noted that free food packages would be distributed to one million households across the 18 local governments in the state while farm inputs at subsidised rates would be made available to farmers.

“Our poultry and fish farmers will be given free drugs, maize, and feeds for their birds and fishes. In addition, training on local feed formulation and production will be given to them, to help them look inwards.
“Agrochemicals, seeds, drip lines, farm tools and power tillers will be given at subsidised rates. In riverine areas, free fishing nets and subsidised kilns will be made available.

“To ease the movement of farm produce, tricycles will be given free to farming communities. This will be supervised by officially recognised, community-based stakeholder groups.
“The state government has authorised immediate suspension of haulage fee collection on all non-graded agricultural produce. These are produce that are consumed locally and not for export.”

The commissioner also announced the immediate suspension of hospital registration and consultation fees stressing that government will reimburse the hospitals directly based on existing data.

“In addition to the provision of free shuttle buses earlier mentioned, there will be immediate payment of 2020 leave bonus to public servants. It should be noted that the state government has already paid leave bonuses for 2021, 2022 and 2023. Various categories of small and medium enterprises will benefit from Subsidy Removal Palliative

“In addition to the provision of free shuttle buses earlier mentioned, there will be immediate payment of 2020 leave bonus for public servants. It should be noted that the government has already paid leave bonuses for 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“Various categories of small and medium enterprises will benefit from the state government’s financial assistance. The money to nano, small, medium enterprises will be disbursed through existing government channels.

“Students who are engaged in nano businesses on campus are not excluded. They will also get financial support. The money to nano, small, medium enterprises will be disbursed through existing government channels. Students who run nano businesses on campus are not left out. They will also get monetary support”, Akinterinwa added.