NEWS
Yuletide Transport Hikes Under Abia State Assembly Scrutiny as Abia Lawmakers Urge Compassion, Promise Relief with Electric Buses
The Abia State House of Assembly, during its plenary sitting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, convened at about 12:40 p.m., deliberated on a Matter of Urgent Public Importance bordering on the rising cost of transportation across the state during the Yuletide season.
The motion was raised by Hon. Nnamdi Ibekwe, the lawmaker representing Bende North State Constituency, who expressed deep concern over what he described as the arbitrary and unnecessary increase in transport fares by commercial drivers, a development that has continued to place heavy financial pressure on residents, particularly low-income earners, during the festive period.
Hon. Ibekwe stressed that the Yuletide season, traditionally associated with goodwill and compassion, should not be exploited as an avenue for undue economic hardship on the people, urging relevant stakeholders to urgently address the situation to protect commuters from extortionate practices.
In his response, the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Ihuoma Emereuwa, echoed the concerns of the House and appealed to commercial drivers across the state to conduct their operations with a human face, especially during the festive season when families are already burdened with increased expenses.
The Speaker emphasized that government remains committed to easing the cost of living for Abians and assured that the recent acquisition of electric buses by the Abia State Government would soon introduce healthy competition in the transport sector.
According to him, the deployment of the electric buses is expected to significantly moderate transport fares and provide affordable, reliable alternatives for commuters across major routes in the state.
He further reaffirmed the House’s resolve to continue engaging relevant transport unions and stakeholders to ensure fairness, accountability, and sustainability in the transport system, while safeguarding the welfare and economic well-being of the people of Abia State.
The deliberation underscores the Assembly’s responsiveness to public concerns and its ongoing commitment to policies and interventions that promote social equity and economic relief for citizens, particularly during periods of heightened financial demand such as the Yuletide season.