Obaseki shuts down Edo Line

Gov. Godwin Obaseki.

The Edo State Government on Monday shut down the state-owned transport outfit, Edo Line, indefinitely and directed the personnel of the company to relocate to the state ministry of transport.Governor Godwin Obaseki, who announced this during an on-the-spot assessment of the transport company, also said that his administration would fashion out ways to liquidate the company’s N1.5bn debt.

Obaseki, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie; his Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele; and other government officials, said that the premises of the company would be used for other ventures.

Edo Line, which last operated in May 2015, had its headquarters along James Watt Road in Benin, with other outlets in other parts of the country, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.

But the governor said, “We will shut down this place, clean it up and decide on how to liquidate the debt and plan how to use the premises for other ventures.”

He also expressed displeasure over the condition of the premises, which he described as a ‘typical waste’.

“This is a typical waste. Can you see how many vehicles are around? We have been paying people for about four years without doing any work.

“The company has a huge amount of debt and, as a government, we cannot continue in this situation. What we are doing is that we are absorbing the staff.”