Nike PopoolaThe nation’s transport sector lost about N200bn in three months as a result of the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, transport operators have said. He described interstate transportation as the engine of any economy, saying N50bn, N120bn and N200bn were lost in the first four weeks, eight weeks and 12 weeks, while 100, 250 and 400 lives were lost in the periods. Uhunmwagho said, “We tried to estimate recently what the financial losses to transport owners/operators might be after 10 weeks. He expressed worry that some transport owners who had rented premises might be unable to continue using some of the premises. “Government needs to financially aid transport sector such that the transport owners do not have to transfer the entire burden on to the poor hapless Nigerians who are already very weak financially because of all the effects of COVID-19.”He said some transport owners would go bankrupt.

Source: Punch June 12, 2020 23:48 UTC