Abia approves establishment of SME village

…Plans e-ticket for electric bus fare

The Abia State Executive Council has approved the establishment of an Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Village and Innovation Hub in Aba to boost the economy of the state.

Okey Kanu, commissioner for Information, disclosed this at the Government House Umuahia, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

Kanu said that the establishment of the SME Village was a move aimed at strengthening Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises as a key driver of the state’s economic growth.

He added that the proposed SME Village, when completed, would accommodate computer dealers, mobile phone sellers and repair technicians among others, as well help to decongest parts of Aba currently plagued by unregulated commercial activities. Kanu disclosed that a one-stop and other Export Growth Lab and trade support facility, located within the premises of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, was almost completed and is expected to be opened before the end of this February.

He described the projects as part of the present administration’s deliberate policy thrust to create an enabling environment for enterprise growth, job creation and industrial expansion across Abia state, noting that, the initiative is designed to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks faced by small businesses, manufacturers and exporters, and positioning Aba as a more competitive commercial hub.

“These facilities aim at facilitating the ease of doing business among SMEs in Aba and environs.

“When fully operational, the Export Growth Lab will assist in activities like business registration and NAFDAC approval, among others,” Kanu stated.

The Commissioner said that the state government plans to introduce electronic ticketing for the electric bus services recently rollout, with free rides across the state.

He recalled that since the commencement of the pilot scheme of the free bus rides for Abia residents, it has been totally free of charge but by the end of this February, it would cease to be free of charge.

“Upon the full commencement of the mass transit services, Abians will be expected to pay tokens in order that the mass transit scheme is sustained.

“The pricing model will be based on analysis of existing market fares, as involving such transport facilities as KeKe and mini-buses. It will also be based on distance cost rate, rather than first-stop pricing and a government-backed fare moderation.

“There will be electronic ticketing that will eliminate cash handling by conductors. The electronic ticketing system will feature contactless smart cards, prepaid and pay-as-you-go options, time transaction recording and a centralised revenue monitoring dashboard,” Kanu stated.

The Commissioner, who noted that between December 22 and the 29 of January, the scheme has operated for more than a month, adding that, during the period, a total of 106,116 passengers were transported over a total distance of 74,796.6 kilometres on the average.

He further informed that 14 buses were deployed daily and each carrying approximately 3,034 passengers daily, saying that the pilot rollout has offered the bus operators an idea of the intra-city and inter-city mobility demand for the bus service.

He went ahead to state that the scheme would now offer commuters options to choose from, in terms of using either the mass transit buses or the “keke” and mini-bus services that already exist.

“Abians would witness a transformed urban mass transit infrastructure into a world-class experience in terms of the state-of-the-art bus transit services that will ensure affordability, comfort and equally, friendly mass transit bus experience,” Kanu maintained.

Obioma Nwaogbe, senior special assistant to the governor on transport, in his contribution said that the state government was aware that the people are used to paying cash, hence, it is carrying out sensitisation to inform the people on how the electronic ticketing would work.

“You know, our people are used to paying with cash. And that is why we are carrying out the sensitisation. Because everything in the world is going on digital.

“So, the card is tap and pay. And there will be a wallet. There are vendors that will be by the wall shelters. So that even if you don’t have, you can pay and then your wallet will be loaded. And as your wallet is available, you can now tap and pay.

“The e-ticketing is the main thing. And both the old and the young, the youth, there are availability of processes for everybody to board the bus.

“For instance, if there is an elderly person that is around, the agent will help the elderly person that doesn’t know how to use the card.

“To load the card. And then once it’s about boarding, there is a machine system that you just tap it and you pay. So, it’s not a hard thing,” Nwaogbe explained.

Nwaogbe further disclosed that there would be different routes for the electric bus services, but said it would not chase “Keke” out of business. He stressed that boarding the busses would be done orderly as commuters would be made to queue up.

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