As expected, a few days to Eid-el-Kabir,
the Osun State Government announced the schedule for its free train
ride from Lagos to Osogbo, the state capital. A statement by the
Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Ismail
Jayeoba-Alagbada, on August 27 explained that the arrangement was
in
“furtherance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration’s commitment to
the welfare of the ordinary people who deserve this form of support from
the government.”
The statement gave details: “The first
train moves from Lagos on Wednesday August 30th, 2017 at exactly 10am
from the Iddo Terminus, Lagos enroute our usual Ikeja, through Ogun and
Oyo State to end the journey in Osogbo. Another one leaves at the same
time on Thursday August 31st, 2017 through the same route down to
Osogbo. After the eid-el-kabir celebration, the train leaves Osogbo on
Sunday September 3rd, 2017 for Lagos. This we have concluded as the plan
for this year’s eid-el-kabir festival.”
The commissioner added: “This is one of
the social protection projects of the Aregbesola administration and
since we commenced this more than six years ago, we have not looked
back. Even in the face of very harsh financial constraints, we have
strived to keep this offer going convinced that it has offered great
opportunities for our people and helped their finances as well.”
This free train ride, which happens
during major Islamic and Christian festivals, has been a striking
feature of the Aregbesola administration, and many people look forward
to the ride because it enables them to connect with their roots during
the significant festive periods.
It takes a governor with an unusual
sense of people-oriented governance to come up with this kind of
people-oriented service. For instance, what kind of governor would
choose to spend the night telling the people about his administration’s
performance? There is only one such governor in the country. It is
usual to have governors talk to the people at town hall meetings at
daytime; but the unusual calls to the unusual. Governor Rauf Aregbesola
has been unusual in his governance style, but he has achieved results
that deserve public attention. Talking of an unusual approach to
governance, an account of his latest talk-to-the-people programme in May
speaks volumes for his methods. A report captured the event known as
‘Aregbe Till Day Break’: “For more than six hours, from
midnight, the governor tendered his score card before the people. He was
on the popularity weighing scale at the WOCDIF Event Centre, the venue
of the event. He responded to probing questions with vigour and
aggression. In a sense, the governor was combative. Reeling out facts
and figures, he convinced the audience that governance was not a tea
party in a period of national distress. Accompanied by Deputy Governor
Grace Laoye Tomori and other aides, Aregbesola, after explaining some of
his projects, would ask his permanent secretaries and other state
officials to shed light on the people-oriented programmes, government’s
constraints and prospects of early completion.”
What happened to some of the
enthusiastic people who wanted to take advantage of the Eid-el-Kabir
free train ride showed how good ideas, good intentions and good planning
could be messed up by circumstances beyond the control of those who
meant well.
A report presented a picture of the
August 31 movement: “Hundreds of Osun-bound passengers, who had massed
at the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Iddo Terminal in Lagos for the
free train ride provided by Osun Government for Eid-el-Kabir, were on
Thursday stranded. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the huge
number of passengers who turned out for the ride outstripped the
available coaches…Some of the stranded passengers, who spoke to NAN
correspondent, were pained for not making the trip, but they commended
the governor’s gesture. They pleaded with the government to provide more
coaches or extend the days allotted for the exercise to enable
intending travellers to enjoy the free ride.”
The report continued: “Saliu Ademola, an
artisan, told NAN: “I was shocked when I got to the terminal to see the
crowd. The NRC should increase the number of coaches to enable the
passengers to enjoy the train services.” A disappointed Taibat Lawal
said in spite of her early arrival at the terminal in the morning, she
was not lucky to be on board… NAN also reports that the normal fare per
passenger for Lagos-Osogbo trip by train is N1, 500.”
The situation that arose simply showed
how popular the free train ride had become among the people. There is no
question that the free train ride is based on the age-old political
philosophy that government should exist to serve the people. In A Fragment on Government, Jeremy Bentham observes: “It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.”
Interestingly, Aregbesola’s free train
ride draws attention to the country’s rail transport system, which needs
to be reimagined. It is good news that the proposed concession of the
railway to General Electric (GE) is on course, according to the Nigerian
Railway Corporation (NRC) Managing Director, Mr. Fidet Okhiria. An
August 29 report said: “Okhiria, who chaired a meeting with members of
the transaction advisers in his office, said there was no doubt that the
concessionaire would move in before year end. The NRC helmsman was
represented at the meeting by the Director of Operations, Mr. Niyi Alli,
who said the meeting was to fine-tune the gray areas of the entire
transaction in order to ensure that it ends up being beneficial to both
parties.”
Further information: “The Nation’s
checks revealed that three components are contained in the GE
concession terms. “The GE contract terms have three components – with a
separate firm –Transnet- handling the track maintenance, APTML, a
terminal operator, handling the cargo element and GE itself,” a top
official, who would not want his name mentioned, said. According to him,
the GE will supervise the three components, and pay royalties to the
Corporation, which retains the entire workforce. “The terms of the
agreement is to have the GE work on the railway at least for the first
12 months, after which the agreement may be renewed,” the source added.”
Hopefully, the country’s rail transport system will improve and attain modern standards in the not too distant future.
Credit: http://thenationonlineng.net
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