1500 Delta youths protest over hike in Delta City bus fare

Economic and social activities were paralyzed in Bomadi, Delta State following heavy protest over hike in Delta city bus transport fare from Bomadi to Ugheli by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration. The protesters numbering about 1500 said that transport fare from Bomadi to Ugheli was earlier this year increased from three hundred naira (N300) to four hundred and twenty naira (N420).

The protest was organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria and several other voluntary organizations in Bomadi local government area of the state.

The leader of the protest, Mr. Pira Bontu lamented that Delta City transport was supposed to be for the general interest of the masses especially Deltans, but now, Governor Okowa led government was making very difficult for poor people to live.

According to him, “We have written letters to the transport board here in Bomadi and also at Ugheli four months ago about the sudden increase in transportation but yet to receive any response from them”.

It was gathered that it took the intervention of the police in Bomadi to calm aggrieved commuters and the residents down.

Police authority in Bomadi further assured that their plights will be communicated to the appropriate authorities without delay.

Mr. Bontu said that despite the fact that Bomadi local government workers as well as 24 other local governments in the state have not been paid their salaries for the past fifteen months which have subjected the workers to much sufferings.

He therefore called on Governor Okowa to as matter of urgency address their plight by returning the former N300 transport fare in order to alleviate the suffering of Deltans.

This will be one of many protests that Delta State has witnessed since Dr Ifeanyi Okowa became the governor. For about three hours, on Wednesday May 24, Local Government Workers in Delta State under the auspices of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE marched through major streets of Warri in protest against over 12 months salary arrears owed them as a result of perceived over-deduction of their monthly federal allocations by the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa administration for the payment of primary school staff.

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