Osun state government has declared a free train ride from Lagos to Osogbo for citizens returning home for the 2017 Eid el-Kabir celebrations. A statement by the Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Ismail Jayeoba-Alagbada, yesterday said the gesture was in “furtherance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration’s commitment to the welfare of the ordinary people who deserve this form of support from the government.”
According to him, the free train is expected to move from Lagos twice to Osogbo and will operate only one trip for the post-Sallah return journey. “Th e fi rst train moves from Lagos on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, at exactly 10am from the Iddo Terminus, Lagos, enroute our usual Ikeja, through Ogun and Oyo state to end the journey in Osogbo,” the statement read in part. “Another one leaves at the same time on Th ursday, August 31, 2017, through the same route down to Osogbo. After the Eid elKabir celebration, the train leaves Osogbo on Sunday, September 3, 2017, for Lagos. Th is we have concluded as the plan for this year’s Eid el-Kabir festival.” J a y e o b a – A l a g b a d a expressed the hope that the free train provided by the government would give Osun indigenes in particular the opportunity to return home in order to savour the joy of the festival with their relatives. “Th is is one of the social protection projects of the Aregbesola administration and since we commenced this more than six years ago, we have not looked back,” he said. “Even in the face of very harsh fi nancial constraints, we have strived to keep this off er going convinced that it has off ered great opportunities for our people and helped their fi nances as well.” (Premium Times)
