From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa

Chairman of Presidential Amnesty Vendors’ Forum and Managing Director Sammechsol Nigeria Limited, Pastor Samson Dabbey, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col.

Pastor Dabbey, who also doubles as manager of Stan and Deka Resources Ltd, gave the commendation in an interview with journalists in Yenagoa recently, said the distribution of tricycles and accessories to 500 delegates in Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers States, was smart move.

He added that tricycles have become an acceptable mode of urban means of transportation available to individuals in order to meet their daily travel needs and fill the shortages in public transport, in a bid to improve intracity transportation and the domestic tourism drive in the region.

He reiterated the need for cities to harness different modes of transport that would seamlessly connect with one another,

saying that good transportation system reduces commuting time and cost of living, adding that public transport is especially important for lower income groups, where 42% of the population may lack access to a car or van (compared to only 8 percent of those in the highest income group).

“A good transport system supports innovation, productivity and economic growth in cities as well as the national economy, encouraging firms to locate near one another, bringing them closer to their supply chain to share expertise.

“A recent study in America found that doubling transport investment in cities raised productivity and increased wages between 1.1 and 1.8%.

The Amnesty Vendors’ Forum boss maintained that the recent distribution of five hundred trycircles to trained delegates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, among whom females, from four States in region was part of efforts geared towards proper reintegrating the ex-agitators into civil life.

According to him, the Amnesty programme was initiated to serve as an instrument for peacebuilding with emphasises on addressing wider reforms of underdevelopment and poverty in the Niger Delta region.

“The last event speaks volumes about the success story of the ongoing reintegration phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, under the Interim Administrator, Col Milland Dikio, where trained delegates were empowered to with tools to enable them effectively participate in the transport sector of the local economy.