Gains Of The Restoration Transport Scheme

By Sekegha Oguara

Public Transportation Helps Create a Brighter Economic Future Investment in public transportation creates jobs provides access to jobs revitalizes business districts and neighborhoods enables employers to tap a larger workforce boosts commerce and saves money on infrastructure costs for taxpayers --Sekegha Oguara

Transport is a vital requirement which enables trade between persons possible. It is the locomotive for trade, human relationships and industrialization. In fact, industrialization and development are inconceivable without transport. Basically, transportation can be seen as the movement of people and goods from one geographical location to another with the use of different transportation system which include, (land, air, water, and pipeline). It is a key component of growth, globalization and specialization allowing production and consumption of products to occur at different locations.

Transport has throughout history been a spur to expansion as better transport allows more trade and a greater spread of people. Economic growth has always been dependent on increasing the capacity and rationality of transport. Transportation has increased each person’s mobility. Initially, one could walk about 20 miles a day; using a horse or bicycle would double or triple this range. Today one can travel halfway around the world in a day. Through increased mobility, one’s range of acquaintances can be worldwide.

About seven months after Governor Seriake Dickson assumed office, the Restoration Transport Scheme was floated. Concerned about the frequent accidents caused by motorbikes fondly called “Okada” and pained by the reality that Bayelsa State did not have a well-organized transport system, government made efforts to float the Restoration Transport System to facilitate internal transport in Yenagoa. Accordingly, more than 300 Restoration Cabs were launched by Governor Seriake Dickson. The restoration government injected 300 ‘restoration city cabs’ to replace motor cycles as a means of transportation in the Capital of Yenagoa. The Restoration Transportation Scheme is important in developing and strengthening social and commercial ties and feeds the local markets such as Mbiama market, Ugheli market in Delta State, and other neighbouring States. These ties facilitate the development of our local economy and reliability for commuters.

To fully maximize the Restoration Scheme, the administration built the Bayelsa State Driving Academy – an academy where drivers are trained, professionalized and licensed. This idea is novel and rewarding. In addition, the State acquired a fleet of air conditioned buses for intra-city transport. This strand of the scheme services the public and the operators make returns. It contributes a little to the IGR profile of the State. The Academy, when fully utilized will provide a hub for training professional drivers to service both individual, group and corporate interest.

The benefits of the Restoration Transport Scheme are enormous. It provides personal mobility and freedom for people from every walk of life. It gives people transportation options to get to work, go to school, visit friends, or go to a doctor’s office. This is in addition to providing job opportunities for youths. With the abolition of “okada” the Restoration Transport scheme has also reduced accidents on our roads. The Restoration Transport Scheme provides an affordable, and for many, necessary, alternative to driving thereby saving commuters from the fangs of petrol sellers who often hoard the product or sell at killer prices.

Ostensibly, transportation has increased employment opportunities, because one can travel for business transactions or render services in other locations. Of significance is the provision of river crafts and speed boats to ease marine transport in the State. The Restoration Transport Scheme has actually touched the lives of the Kpansia trader, the Swali market woman, the Igbogene traders and the Tuesday (weekly) business men and women. These traders are the people who keep the economy up and running.

With the Restoration Transport Scheme, it is possible for a producer to reach a large number of markets. This means that the quantity of output can be large enough that significant production economies of scale will result. A transportation system improves the allocation process because it widens the number of opportunities for suppliers and buyers. Initially, transportation’s role with respect to natural resources was that it allowed resources to be developed or used. Too much of this occurred, and it has resulted in resources being misused, overused, or exploited as well. Transportation has also made it possible to strip forests of trees, with or without regard for environmental effects on the cleared land or adjacent surface waters. The scheme has opened up markets for products and transaction in commerce.

The value of farmland has always been related inversely to the distance to markets. In today’s society, the value of home sites in suburbs is inversely related to the travel times and costs associated with reaching offices and stores in the central city. Business and professional interactions also can be on a worldwide basis. With such wide-scale travel opportunities, business and culture will never be the same. Free school buses were also provided to safely convey students to and from school with maximum safety.

In terms of transportation, one can say without any fear of contradiction that the Restoration Administration, especially in her formative years, has done very well to ease the lives of people, facilitates commerce, protect lives and property and above all the safety of Bayelsa citizens. Now the scheme has assumed a life of its own. Bayelsans are grateful to Governor Seriake Dickson for this modest achievement in this important sector. It is my belief that the scheme will be expanded when the economy improves.

Sekegha Oguara is a member of the Bayelsa Social Media Team

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