By Damilola Adeyemo
AKURE – Following the full resumption of academic activities of schools in Akure, Ondo State Capital on the 18th of January 2021. There has been a lot of generated questions about the free shuttle buses by the students and parents who are the beneficiary of the scheme.
The free school shuttle was introduced under the leadership of the immediate past governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who operated it for six years unhindered in major towns and cities across the state.
The buses convey the students to and fro school from designated bus stops across the towns and cities in the eighteen local governments on daily basis.
The recent development about the absence of the free Shuttle buses in Ondo State brought about several reactions and lamentations from both the parents and students in the State that made TECHNOCRAT MEDIA to investigate why the free school shuttles were not working.
Speaking with a student, Adelabu Adebusuyi from Oyemekun Grammar School, when asked about the last time he took the free shuttle, he said “Third Term in JSS 3 in early 2020 before the lockdown after which he added that “I heard the free shuttles are no more coming out again.
Speaking with another student from Aquinas College, Adenuga Paul, he lamented about the hardship faced over the absence of the free school shuttle buses.
In a phone conversation with the Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Donald Ojogo about the free shuttle busses, he said “Go and meet the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transports.”
In a meeting with the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transports, Mr. Tobi Ogunleye, who handed me over to the PRO of the Ministry, Mrs. Olamiposi Odofin, who spoke on his behalf.
When asked about the plans of the government for the shuttle buses, she replied “No plans for now.”
“We can only come up with plans after the inauguration of the second of Mr. Governor. Some of the free school shuttle buses were burnt during the Endsars protests.”
” The NSCDC gave us some Covid-19 guidelines which has not been met.”
” The issue of Free school shuttle is beyond us. The Governor has the final say over the free shuttle buses.”
She further added that “We are keeping hope alive for the shuttle to work again but as we speak there is no money anywhere to run the free school shuttle buses”
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