From Abel Leonard, Lafia
On Thursday, February 24, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari came calling to Nasarawa State. He was in the state for two days. It was his second visit.
Projects commissioned in the process included the 330KVA Akurba Power Substation, new Central Bank of Nigeria, Lafia Office, Federal Secretariat, Lafia Vocational and Technical Institute, Karu and Lafia Mega Bus Terminals, Lafia Cargo Airport, Keffi Neighborhood Market and Keffi Square, as well as the Shinge/Kilema intercity road.
The Lafia Mega Bus Terminus is at Bukan Sidi, Lafia-Jos Road, while the Karu Mega Bus Terminus is on Keffi-Abuja Expressway. The two terminals stood out. The multi-billion naira projects would boost the state government internally generated revenue and address the perennial traffic logjam along the Keffi-Abuja Expressway. It would completely revolutionise the state’s transport scheme, as well as provide employment to the teeming youths if successfully utilized.
To maximally utilise these projects to the benefit of the people, government only recently concession the two facilities to a private firm, Diamond Stripes, to manage both the Karu and Lafia bus terminals.
The terminals will be the point where a bus route starts or ends, where vehicles stop, turn or reverse and wait before departing on their return journeys. They are also where passengers board and alight from vehicles. They will provide a convenient point where services can be controlled.
Inaugurating the terminals, President Buhari applauded Governor Abdullahi Suthe’s administration for the projects, saying they would transform the lives of the people.
He also appreciated the state government for naming the Karu Bus Terminal after late Nigeria’s late Head of State, General Sani Abacha: “The naming of the terminal was fitting giving that the late Head of State created Nasarawa State in 1996.”
Governor Sule had said earlier: “The biggest of our projects is actually this and this project for us, we decided to name it after the gentleman who gave us the state and that is why we named it Sani Abacha Bus Terminal.
“We want to thank you so much. We also want to thank you, Hajiya Abacha for coming.”
The projects consultant, Shehu Tukur, said: “The bus terminal is the biggest in the country with a capacity of more than 900 vehicles and adequate security architecture in place.
“It also has public toilets, driver lounges, security gadgets all over and workshops for vehicle maintenance. The project was awarded on January 31, 2020, at the cost of N2.2 Billion. We were able to complete the project within that cost target.”
Chairman of Diamond Stripes, Victor Terra, said the signing of the agreement gave birth to the new special purpose vehicle, the Nasarawa Logistics and Transport Company. He said the company would soon flag off activities at the two terminals with 100 buses, to be increased
to over 200 within six months. Already, some of the buses have arrived Lafia, the state capital.
The Chief executive Officer (CEO), Nasarawa Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the vision of the governor towards industrialisation of the state would increase private sector participation: “The event brought two gains for the state.”
Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transportation, Idris Mohammed Idris, said with the two facilities, the governor did not just decongest population but “eliminates off-street bus stations that contribute nothing to the state IGR. He also re-designs the transportation sector, which has been silent for many years.
“The governor provides reasons not to waste lands as in any case, where off street bus stations often use expensive land as in the case of many garages seen everywhere in both the state capital and Karu.
“It may just be a way of accepting change by an administration that has vision to further develop the state. Unlike in the past, the state government, having realised that government has no business running business organisations, handed the terminals built entirely from public funds, to a private firm for efficient and effective management.”
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Government House Affairs, Muhammed Kassim Muhammed, said: “The President’s visit brought to limelight the strength and the ideology of Governor Sule towards marketing the state to the world putting many who are in doubt to reality.
“The visit has helped many in doubt to appreciate one of the important projects of Governor Sule to take another critical look at the idea of having functional modern bus terminals in Lafia and Karu.
“As you can see, the bus terminal is completed. Before now, a lot of people did not understand the governor’s vision concerning the project. But today this has come to stay. The terminals will create jobs, stability in terms of transportation within the state and improve the IGR of the state.”
Chairman, Nasarawa State Board of Internal Revenue, Ahmed Mohammed, disclosed that the bus terminal projects would improve revenue generation, employment opportunities and security: “These are the benefits the projects will bring. However, the size and nature of the both terminals are different from a roadside bus stop because they are equipped with modern day facilities for passengers or bus crews.
“Governor Sule understood the congestion in the state in terms of accommodating large number of vehicles arriving and departing.
“This is one of the ideas that made it necessary to provide off-road bus station facilities (bus terminals) for the convenience of passengers and to reduce traffic congestion.
“Just like in many cities, the majority of passengers start and end their journeys at bus terminals and a significant proportion of operators’ revenue are collected at these points. It is part of the ideas of the governor towards ensuring that the terminals are maintained and job opportunities are created while revenues are generated to boast the IGR of the state.”
Chairman, Lafia Local Government, Aminu Muazu Maifata, said: “It is a thing of joy as this project is situated in my local government. I appreciate Governor Sule for having the foresight in making this project a reality.”
He called on drivers to make use of the terminals as adequate measures would be put in place to eliminate illegal bus stations and drop-and-pick drivers causing commotion around the council. He advised passengers to use the terminals as “they are equipped with modern day facilities.”
Chairman of Karu Local Government, James Thomas, said: “It is a thing of joy to have this beautiful edifice in the local government. The congestion of vehicles and too many street bus stations have been a problem in the council. A lot of efforts to curtail it proved abortive. But with the establishment of these bus terminals has helped in solving that problem.”
Chairman of the state National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Salihu Adamu, said the projects would support the union’s growth: “The bus terminals will bring developments to the union in various areas.
“With the Lafia and Karu bus terminals being put to use, the governor has delivered on his campaign promises to the union and the masses in general. That is a pathway to economic transformation.”
Mr Nwankwo Okechukwu, a businessman, resides in Lafia. He applauded Governor Sule for establishing the edifices in Lafia and Karu:
“It is a huge investment that will curb unemployment, insecurity and generate revenue for the state.”
He appealed to government to fix favourable transport fares that would be affordable for the people considering the economic situation of the country at this time.