Edo Govt Announces Routes for Intra, Intercity Free Transport Service

•Free bus service kicks off September 11

Edo State Government has released routes for its new free transport service scheduled to kick off across the state from Monday, September 11, 2023.

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had, on Monday, approved free transport service for passengers on all routes operated by the state-owned Edo City Transport Ltd (ECTS) to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal policy by the federal government on the people of the State.

The free bus service which spans an initial two-month period covers commuting within the Benin metropolis and from Benin-City to the major cities in the three senatorial districts and would run between 6.30 am and 7 pm daily.

In a statement to announce the routes, Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Andrew Okungbowa, restated the government’s commitment to the welfare of Edo people, reassuring that the government would sustain efforts to ameliorate the sufferings of residents amid the fuel subsidy removal policy of the federal government.

According to Okungbowa, the inter-city routes are Auchi – Igalla – Ibillo–Ososo; Uzebba–Ikhin – Otuo, and Abudu to Ubiaja.

Others are Abudu to Urhonigbe and Ewohirin to Ewatto.

He further listed the intra-city routes to include Ramat–Kingsquare; New Benin–Kingsquare; Kingsquare – Ekenwan Road; Kingsquare–Airport Road; Kingsquare–Sapele Road and Kingsquare – Adesuwa. Other intra-city routes announced by the state government were Kingsquare–Ogida; New Benin – Upper Mission; Kingsquare–Ugbowo; Kingsquare–Agbor Road; Kingsquare–Upper Sokponba; New Benin – Ugbowo and New Benin–Aduwawa.

Okungbowa noted, “We are confident that this transportation support by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, will significantly reduce the citizens’ mobility problems and improve their welfare within this period of hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal of the federal government, while all efforts are being made to purchase new gas-powered buses for the State.”