The Oyo State House of Assembly has dismissed a petition filed against the management of the Pacesetter Transport Service (PTS), describing it as lacking in merit and sufficient evidence.
The decision followed the presentation of a report by the House Standing Committee on Transport during Tuesday’s plenary, which was presided over by Speaker Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin. The report was delivered by Hon. Adebayo Babajide, Chairman of the Committee.
The petition, submitted by Mr. Ibrahim Asiwaju, Chairman of the Association of Sacked Supervendors and Investors, alleged misconduct in the operations of the PTS. However, the Committee found that the termination of the vendors’ contracts was linked to irregularities, including collusion with drivers and unauthorized cash collections that led to revenue leakages.
According to the Committee’s findings, PTS had previously experienced significant losses in daily income until it introduced a card payment system. The shift reportedly increased revenue from about ₦200,000 to ₦2 million in a single day. While vendors were initially engaged to monitor the system and enforce cashless payments, the Committee stated that evidence showed some were involved in practices that undermined the system, prompting the termination of their engagement.
The report also recommended several measures to improve operations at PTS, including the implementation of a clearly defined organogram to streamline job roles and enhance accountability. It further suggested the use of contract staff and a review of their terms of engagement for greater efficiency.
In addition, the Committee urged the Executive arm of the state government to consider increasing subvention to PTS through the SAFER program, in order to sustain its subsidized transportation services for residents.
The Assembly also emphasized that PTS operations remain within its approved guidelines and are subject to oversight from the state government.
