There was heightened anxiety within the  communities in Jos and other parts of Plateau State on Monday as residents and other stakeholders waited endlessly for the commencement of the intra-city mass transit bus operations promised by the state government.

reports that a total of 14 digitalised  buses with at least 80 seater capacity each were recently purchased by the Governor Caleb Mutfwang-led administration preparatory for intracity operations.

Last month, while inspecting route facilities for the buses at the Terminus Market area and other places preparatory to the smooth take off of the project, the Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Samuel Jatau told journalists that the initiative aimed at transitioning Plateau State into a well organised intra-city transport system which also would go a long way at alleviating the current hardship being faced by the people.

Jatau had said, “As you can see, we’re here on behalf His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, the ‘talk and do Governor’ who has constituted a committee headed by my humble self to midwife the capitalisation of the startup of the Tin city metro bus services.

“The buses that were newly acquired from Germany will  help to reduce the hardship being faced by the people  because  our government is very conscious of the fact that there’s a lot of hardship.”

However,  observed that the residents’ apprehension is justified because on several occasions had the state government made similar promises to start the transportation project but failed, such that the people say they had yet to see the promises truly translate into reality

Such is the situation when a resident told our correspondent that, “It appears that our people have waited endlessly necessitating the need to raise questions on how long it will take the state government to deliver on  the project.”

A cross section of residents who also spoke with Arewa PUNCH over the matter on Monday lamented the non commencement of the mass transit busses more than one month after they arrived Jos from Germany where they were purchased.

As a result, not a few of them expressed concern that the non commencement of the transportation service was an indication that the state government  is ill-prepared to bring about the needed quick transformation in the transport sub sector.

They noted that the delay is affecting their  business activities and the relief promised them by the government.

One of the residents, Christopher Daniel, said, “Honestly, the residents were happy when we heard that our governor has purchased some buses to alleviate our suffering in the area of transportation. If you know how people are suffering every day because of high transportation cost, then you will understand our joy when we heard further that the bus rides fare had been subsidised by up to 50 per cent by the governor.

“But, I don’t know what the problem is and why the purchased  busses are still being kept at the Government House while the masses continue to suffer. It’s like the objective of the government for purchasing the buses has been defeated, and this is not good for the image of a government that promised to serve the people,” he stated.

However, some government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak on the matter have  dismissed the insinuations that the administration  of Governor Caleb Mutfwang is not prepared to begin the operation of the mass transit busses any time soon.

They assured the residents that all the finishing touches leading to the final commencement of the project will soon be completed.

One of the top government officials said, “There is nothing to worry about because all our plans regarding the mass transit buses are on course. The government of Governor Caleb Mutfwang is fully prepared to bring sanity to the transport sector in Plateau State in ways that will transform their lives for better.

“I can assure you that it will not be long before the busses will start operations, “ the government staff assured.