PRINCE BALOGUN'S SUPPORTS FOR SANWO-OLU HIT N1.56BILLION MARK

**COMMUTES OVER 3.1 MILLION PASSENGERS WITH FREE TRANSPORTATION RIDES IN 2YEARS

Story by Razaq Adedeji Jimoh & Ololade Barakat

In empirical evaluation, the contributions of Crown Prince of Isheri Olofin Ancient Kingdom, Idris Balogun, in supports to Lagos State Government at alleviating hardship in the transportation sector has reached over N1.56Billion in market value as at Tuesday, October 15 when Governor Babajide Olushola Sanwo-Olu flagged off the Red Line Train. It is a common knowledge that the Governor has always requested the support of well-meaning residents of the state to support his administration for the desirable success of his governance. At the flag off of the Red Line transportation system, he reiterated his commitment to giving the people a means of "seamless" mode of transportation for their daily social and economic endeavours. "We are on a mission to keep Lagos moving, and the Red Line is a key part of our vision to create a seamlessly connected city", he said.

Transportation is one of the key pillar of the administration's T. H. E. M. E. + agenda relied upon to be the ace card to score excellence in mark awards. But it turned out to be the very instrument of social engineering in the performance of governance being threatened by the unabating exponential increase in fuel price since inception of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

As an adage goes, when individuals in the neighbourhood sweep their respective frontage, the entire street will surely be clean. That may account for why Prince Balogun decided to embark on making his own impact to alleviate the hardship against Governor Sanwo-Olu's "mission for seamless" transportation in his corridor of Alimosho Fedetal Constituency.

Speaking to Civics Weekly magazine on his initiatives that gave birth to the now "Oluomo Free Ride (OFR)", the cheer giver cum politician said:"Honestly, this is a serious question that I will be glad to answer diligently. I will begin by saying God gave me the knowledge, the wisdom and the resources to start it and sustain it. It was not that I had much when I decided on this line of assistance to people through free transportation, but out of the little I have, the initiative came and I started it. But the impression I would like to correct is that it is a project that has been ongoing for the past three years. We only have to put additional funding for a direct palliatives to workers in Alimosho this harsh time"

"It nevertheless began with my thoughts for the vulnerable poor families in this period of economic crisis. I realized that many of these families are the ones that have their children in public schools. Somehow, I also realised that in the postings from Public Primary Schools to Public Secondary Schools, many of these pupils are posted to Secondary Schools far away from their homes, which will further stress their parents with transportation fairs. So, I thought I could help these less privileged people in a way through this. I said if the transportation problem should be out of their struggle to give their children the right future, then I would have done something Godly, something good, to relieve them of the pains.

"Thereafter, I just decided one day that I was going to buy one bus in order to start and I did. But not up to two weeks again, I bought another one. And I think just within the next one or two months, the three buses were completed. I was now left to deal with the running cost and maintenance. Then I returned to God that: well, God, you know my mind. It is left for you how you will be providing for me to fuel these buses. I wanted the three buses to be running Ikotun, Command, Igando, and Iyana/Ipaja – all the corners of Alimosho. My brother, since when I eventually started about three years ago, I have never lacked this money to run it.

"You see the way God has been wonderful to me. They all run on diesel, which you know is far and far expensive than petrol. Diesel was about N600 to N650 before the subsidy removal. I have never for one day cried for lack of money to fuel them. For the three buses, I have about 8 staff for the operations. I will pay their salaries, maintain the buses to be in good conditions. Meeting all these obligations are just happening in miraculous way to me. From that three years past, the buses have been on the road running every day to carry the students and the working class to and fro.

OFR NOW THE HOPE OF WORKERS ON DAILY BASIS:A VIDEO CLIP FOR EVIDENCE Connecting the charity project to political expediency of our clime,he said he was moved by the plight of workers the moment fuel subsidy was removed. He also added that it was for a holistic concern for all stakeholders interest operating the bus that the operation began for workers commutting during school holidays and continues todate.

He explained further:"Then came the recent time when our President removed the fuel subsidy and people started lamenting over the pains. By my nature, I began to feel the pains with the workers who are mostly affected because they must go to work by force. When this holiday for the student came, I saw that the staff and the buses would become idle. I asked myself: why would I need to pack the vehicles for about a month and half when it could help Tinubu government and my Lagos APC to show that we are a people with human feelings? We feel the people’s pain even though all we are doing is to make them get abundant life in the nearest future. So, I went back to the drawing board on how I could be of help to alleviate their pains of transportation cost to these workers.

"I came out with three-day assistance per week. In other words, I said the buses should continue operations, conveying workers to and fro their works three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That was how I came about the transportation palliatives for workers resident in Alimosho – the civil servants, the artisans, the market men and the market women. This has been going on getting to 2years now and I am very impressed with the feedbacks I have been getting from the beneficiaries, mostly in prayers. If it is only with these prayers God will reward me, I am satisfied with it.

THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT EVALUATION BY CIVICS WEEKLY

The direct impact assessment evaluation carried out spanned 2years of routine operations. the total numbers of commuters said to be moved on daily basis is put at an average of 150 per trip, using harmonisation of the three buses and the later use of one bus while others go for maintenance. A trip is classfied as a to and fro journey for the morning and evening peak hours. Total passengers moved daily is 150 x 4 = 600.

Total for a week (using 5 days with the said harmonisation of the 3 buses and the maintenance period. Total moved per week was 600 x 5 = 3000 weekly.

For a year would be 3000 x 52 = 1,560,000 and for 2years were 3,120,000 parsengers.

Putting the market value right, the minimum cost of transportation at the peak hours of operation yet put at modest value is N500/parsenger. The total cost for the moved passengers in 2years is therefore 3,120,000 x N500 = N1,560,000,000 (N1.56billion) QED.

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