Enugu Earmarks 300 Buses For Schools

The Enugu State Government has ordered the purchase of 300 new buses for distribution to all the public secondary schools in the state.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke who made  this known  while briefing newsmen  at the end of the State Executive Council Meeting in Enugu chaired by Governor, Sullivan I. Chime, said that over N1.551 billion has been set aside for the purchase of the buses.

He  said that government embarked on the project to ease the problems of transportation facing secondary schools in the state, especially during exams and schools outings.

Mr. Ugwoke said that the council also approved a loan guarantee of N200 million for the refurbishment of Nike Lake Resort Hotels to improve on its first class hospitality to customers.

The Commissioner explained that the  money which would be repaid to the bank by the operators of the hotel would be spent on the total refurbishment of 88 standard rooms and 12 suites while refurbishment in other sections would be carried out in phases.

The council, according to him, also approved that a draft bill for the establishment of the State Road Traffic Management Authority be sent to the State House of Assembly for its consideration and possible passage into law.

The bill if approved and passed into law, he said would help regulate control and manage road traffic within the state.

Mr. Ugwoke further  stated that the council approved the payment of the state counterpart fund for the participation of three state local governments in the Conditional Grant Scheme to the Local Government Millennium Development Goals.

The N600 million package will be shared in the ratio of  N300 million  representing 50 per cent  by the federal government, N180  million  representing 30 per cent by the state government while the three benefiting council areas of Aninri, Igbo-Etiti and Isi-Uzo will contribute N120 million representing 20 percent of the entire fund.

Approval of the council was also given for the constitution of a special committee to review all the agric related World Bank Assisted projects/programmes in the