Posted by Chinenye on Wed 17th Jun, 2026 - tori.ng
A sweeping transformation is underway in Abia State as authorities move to enforce a new transport structure that is already reshaping movement within the state capital.
(Abia State governor, Alex Otti. Photo by Punch News)
The Abia State Government has begun enforcing its newly introduced centralised transport system in Umuahia, with transport operators being relocated in phases to the Nnenna Otti Bus Terminal.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, on Tuesday while briefing journalists at Government House, Umuahia, on the resolutions reached at the week's State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
According to the commissioner, the state government had engaged in a series of consultations with transport stakeholders to address their concerns and secure their cooperation.
He noted that, following these engagements, the terminal had become fully operational, with informal transport operators and their unions already relocated to the facility, despite the resistance typically associated with change.
He acknowledged that some pushback persisted among certain operators, attributing this to the natural reluctance people often show toward change.
He explained that all parks across the state had been consolidated at the new bus terminal, and that the Commissioner for Transport and his team had held multiple meetings with operators, including one the previous day, to resolve lingering concerns.
He added that enforcement would begin immediately to ensure all operators relocate to the terminal, noting that the rollout would happen in phases, beginning with the Abia Green Shuttle buses, followed by informal transport operators, and finally formal transport operators.
Responding to questions from journalists, the Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chimezie Ukaegbu, clarified that the government had not deprived anyone of their livelihood but had rather introduced a more structured system aimed at sanitising and improving the transport sector.
He disclosed that transport unions and operators were directed to bring four representatives each to the terminal, where they would be formally identified using reflective tags and integrated into the new system.
He explained that the terminal runs on a transparent, first-come, first-served basis for loading, regardless of union affiliation, noting that an estimated 80 to 90 per cent of operators had already embraced the initiative, while engagement continued with those yet to fully comply.
He also highlighted that the government had provided an air-conditioned, furnished drivers' lodge, alongside a comfortable environment for passengers, stating that the terminal embodies everything needed for a well-run transport system.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, said the centralisation of transport operations would help reduce urban congestion, eliminate indiscriminate loading points, cut down costs incurred by operators, and address security concerns linked to unregulated transport activities, ultimately allowing operators to earn more from their trade.
He further noted that the new organised system was designed to curb the longstanding extortion of passengers by transport operators, describing it as a solution to a problem that had persisted for years.