By Joseph Edegbo :
Beneficiaries of the free train service regularly provided by the government of Osun have urged the citizens and residents of the State to re-elect the incumbent Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for second term.
The beneficiaries who attributed their plea to the successful implementation of myriad welfarist policies and programmes of the Oyetola led Administration, said the genuine call was in the interest of sustainability and consolidation of good governance in the State.
The Administration of Governor Oyetola had since assumption of office continued the initiative introduced by his immediate predecessor to cushion the possible effects of movement of people and goods during festive periods.
Some of the holidaymakers that made their homecoming for the Christmas and New Year celebrations through the free train service eulogised the government for sustaining the scheme despite the State’s depressed economy.
They expressed gratitude to Governor Oyetola for his consistency and uprightness that had contributed greatly to the successes the scheme had recorded over the years.
Speaking after alighting from the train on Friday and boarding same on Sunday to Lagos, at the Osogbo Terminus of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the free train service beneficiaries called on the people of the State to reward the good works of the Governor by reelecting him for second term.
According to them, the only way the good governance that had been successfully enthroned in the State could be sustained and consolidated was for the electorate to return the Governor for second term so as to ensure the continuity and consolidation of good things that have been happening in the State.
Mr. Yinusa Jinadu, a Lagos resident but citizen of Osun, extolled government’s commitment to ensuring the sustainability of the scheme, saying it is a thing of joy that the scheme has been sustained.
He lauded the rare commitment of the State to continually guaranteeing the security, welfare and well-being of the people of the state as demonstrated in the hands of fellowship extended to holidaymakers during festive periods.
Another passenger, Mrs. Florence Afolabi, an indigene of Okuku in Odo-Otin Local Government living in Ibadan, said the Governor had done so much and deserved to be re-elected in the next governorship election.
Similarly, Mr. Taiwo Abimbola, Mrs. Serifat Busari, Pastor Kayode Olugboyega, Mrs. Kadijah Kelani, lauded the kind gesture extended to them by the government, describing the free train service as panacea for ‘travel hurdles’.
Addressing the journalists, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Industry and Empowerment, Dr. Bode Olaonipekun, disclosed that government was happy to have sustained the scheme.
Olaonipekun urged the residents to continue to reciprocate the good gesture of the Governor by returning him for second term.
“Going by the favourable public assessment of the yearly festive-based free train service from Lagos to Osun over the years, I am convinced that we are achieving the welfarist purpose for which it was initiated. And from the assessment that we conduct during and after each free train exercise, we are convinced that the difficulties attached to festive periods is being reduced from the populace that come to Osun during these periods.
“It is also a thing of joy that one of the key reasons of this exercise which is to test-run the train system, particularly when the idea of international market at Dagbolu was being mooted to be taking raw materials out of Osun to Lagos and return finished products to Osun, is being achieved.
“So, the yearly exercise of bringing the people from Lagos to Osogbo is paying off because the International Trade Centre at Dagbolu has taken off and they have already enlisted about 3,000 manufacturers and traders.What that translates to is that the confidence that the Governor has in the rail system to feed a hub that we are putting up at Dagbolu is really alive.
“This has proved to us that we are actually hitting the nail on the head and by the grace of God, we are continuing with this because the Governor has the love of the masses at heart. It goes beyond pretense or propaganda. It is proved and it is confirmed, and because of that, much more still lies in his heart and his kitty for the masses to enjoy.
“We implore the citizens to return him when the election comes because it will do us a lot of good to have him at the helm of affairs to continue for second term,” he added.
About 6,000 people benefited from the Yuletide free train provided by the Oyetola- led Administration in three trips for 2021 Christmas and 2022 New Year celebrations.
