Yuletide: Umenzekwe calls for reduction in transport fares, urges governors to assist

Umenzekwe made the call in  Lagos recently while interacting with Journalists.

The APC chieftain was particular about transporters on the eastern route do touch their fare a bit to enable individuals who have reason to do so at affordable rate.

He maintained that the yuletide is a period of celebration and high transport fare should not debar people from travelling to unite and celebrate with their loves ones.

He first of all explained what Christian is all about saying, “Christmas celebration is the mother of all celebrations, that is done yearly in the whole world, predominantly by those who profess our lord Jesus Christ. It is a celebration everybody, high and low wants to belong. It is a celebration that comes with huge expenses, and huge expectations from people. Most times crime wave rises during Christmas, because some people go out of their way to compete with one another in terms of materialism and every good thing about this earthly life. And that creates a lot insecurity in the system which normally keeps our security operatives, the federal government and the sub-nationals on their toes.

“However, it is one of those things that are recorded during a period of pomp and pageantry. Apart from crime wave going higher, prayers are offered in such great dimension that suppresses those giant crimes. Families, town unions, trade unions, government parastatals, organise very powerful prayers to say we thank God for witnessing the advent of Christ, and use it to mark the end of the year. It is also a season when gifts are exchanged in so many dimensions within the Christendom and moslems alike. Above all, it is a period of reconcilation, it ushers in peace in families, kindreds, villages, town unions, local governments, states and the country. You know when a new baby comes into a family, tension goes down, anger goes down, enmity goes down, so the coming of Christ which we are celebrating ushers in peace in every nook and cranny of the world. And so, I described it as mother of all celebrations that comes yearly,” Umenzekwe disclosed.

He advised transporters to be kind enough to make Transport fare affordable so that easterners who want to join their families, friends and well wishers in the east to celebrate Christmas can easily do so. “Let me quickly observe that our Igbo brothers and sisters, are a people marked with self-esteem, and that is as a result of their republican nature, they take pride in their igboness, and I am glad that such thing is happening. An average Igbo man or lady, must try to identify with his people during Christmas, you see mass exodus of people during Christmas from wherever they are residing to their country homes because it is the time families unite in Igbo, people in the diaspora are always home. And you know that our people take pride in our red cap regalia, chieftaincy titles, people go home to acquire titles, get initiated into the ozor group, women folk organise different events to recognize outstanding women in the town, as it is being done in my town in Achina this year. The daughters of Achina are converging in Achina to recognize the great daughters of Achina this year. And I am sure it is happening the same way in other communities in Igbo land. I think for me it is a virtue to be an Igbo man, no matter the situation.

“That said, it brings a lot of hike in prices, especially in transportation. That is the aspect that is giving me serious concern. I am not saying that transporters should not make profit, but not in the magnitude it is being done. Our brothers and sisters in other climes, during festive periods like this, when they are celebrating their own, for instance, the Moslems, you see them supporting their people, donating free buses and free vehicles, even trains for their people, but our own, you see Transportation being pushed up and certain families find it difficult to go home because of the transport fares. While I do not support transporters to operate at a loss, but the hike should not be as high as, so I am appealing to them please review the fares of the vehicles so that our people, the high and low can afford to go home.

“I am appealing to transporters in the name of brotherhood or sisterhood, let them reduce the cost of transportation so that our people can go home and celebrate with their kits and kin,” Umenzekwe stated.

Also known as Ezechimereze and Enyimba Achina, Hon Umenzekwe also advised that traveling for Christmas is not compulsory if capacity would not guarantee such travel. “The only thing that is compulsory in this life, whether one likes it or not is death, from my own judgement. I have to say the truth, it is not compulsory to travel, but it is necessary to be with your people, you have not seen for quite a long time, and it is on that basis that I am appealing, that the transportation cost should be reduced.”

Aside appealing to the transporters to bring down transportation fares, Umenzekwe also urged well to do individuals, governments of the various states and local governments to assist the less financially endowed to be able to travel. “Then the well to do members of the public should also assist those that can’t afford the fares; associations, town unions, you can donate buses for your people, individuals can at least pick one or two people in your family or town and give them lift. With that things will be normal. And I repeat, nothing is compulsory except death, travelling is optional.

“The essence of governance is service to the people. Government can play a role by pushing out buses on the roads at a subsidized rate for people to travel, I believe it can’t take them much, governors can do that, even local government chairmen can do that, now that we are talking about local government autonomy, you saw the president at the caucus meeting stressing seriously that local governments must be autonomous, which is a right step in the right direction. So the sub-nationals, can assist the masses on this transportation issue,” Umenzekwe stated.

Also known as Ugodiebube of Amesi, Umenzekwe said that the Federal Government can also assist by ensuring that roads are motorable. “Then the federal government and the sub-nationals have a role to play by making sure that our roads are motorable.That Draws my attention to the good work done by the Works Minister, Engr Dave Umahi; I plied the Lagos Shagamu Benin road, I saw the massive work going on, we are not there yet, but when you ply this road you will know that the federal government is doing something, that the Minister of Works is living up to expectation. And I believe if he continues like this, West/East Road, will be as free as, as smooth as the Second Niger bridge, which late President Muhammad Buhari gave south easterners using the gentleman Minister, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). The bottleneck we used to have at the Bridge Head is no more there. You need to ply the Second Niger bridge, you will be happy that the federal government is working. And by the time Umahi finishes what he is doing, it will be fait accompli, and with that I give the renewed hope agenda, kudos.

Umenzekwe allayed the fears being expressed by people over insecurity in the land, he said “You see, the people of Ukraine are still going home, where there is war. The Hamas are still going home where there is war, the people of Russia are still going home where there is war, and the people of Israel. You still see people travelling from Nigeria to Ukraine, Israel, Hamas, Russia. Therefore why can’t people travel. In as much as we have to be very very careful, that shouldn’t stop you from attending to your civic duties, believing that God is in control and the government is on their toes. You talked about Trump, you can see the diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the US, and I believe that in no distant time insecurity will be a thing of the past. It is worrisome really, but then we can’t be stagnant,” he argued.