Plateau State government through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs in collaboration with 17 Local Government Council have donated a 36-seater bus to the Plateau State University Bokkos to address the transportation challenges faced by its staff and students.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ephraim Usman who led the Chairmen of the 17 Local Government Councils in Plateau State presented the bus to the university management at the old government house in Jos on Saturday.
The donation came 24 hours after the university’s management approached the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as representatives of the 17 Local Governments, with a request for a bus.
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang while presenting the bus on behalf of the Ministry and 17 LG councils said the swift response has demonstrates his administration commitment to collaborative governance.
Governor Mutfwang commended the local government’s efforts, emphasizing the need for collaboration in governance.
“The states and local governments should prioritize efficiency over autonomy, as we need collaboration and synergy”.
The governor also highlighted the importance of supporting the university’s progress.
“PLASU needs to be facilitated in every way to gain its rightful place among universities in Nigeria,” he added.
Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Shedrack Best while receiving the bus appreciated the Plateau State Government for the gesture.
Prof. Best appreciated the governor and the 17 local governments for responding to the concerns of staff and students.
He explained that the majority of staff and students live 40 miles away from the university in Jos due to accommodation challenges, resulting in transportation difficulties.
“This has implications for service delivery in the university, as staff commute every day from Jos to Bokkos,” Prof. Best said.
The Acting Vice Chancellor reiterated the university’s challenges, including the fact that over 95% of its workforce commutes from Jos due to safety concerns following the December 2023 crisis.
“We have relied heavily on vehicular movement for staff to get to their duty posts, but this has been worsened by the crisis,” Prof. Best explained.
“We hope that this donation will be the first of many interventions to address our transportation needs.”
The Acting VC also called on the government to consider providing more buses that can reach the university, despite the challenging road conditions.
“We have seen the Metropolis buses, but they have limitations in terms of the quality of roads they can travel on,” Prof. Best said.
“We urge the government to find buses that can reach Bokkos, so that our staff and students can benefit from this initiative.”
