Kwara Express Shutdown: A Policy Failure Wrapped in Silence
By Hammed Adedayo Said
In 2024, the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led government quietly shut down Kwara Express, a state-owned transport company that once served as a lifeline for mobility, employment, and economic inclusion in Kwara State. What followed was not reform, not restructuring, but abandonment of workers, families, and public accountability.
The government stopped paying monthly salaries. It promised to pay off staff entitlements. That promise, like many others, remains unfulfilled.
Today, hundreds of former Kwara Express workers are left in limbo no jobs, no severance, no clear communication just silence.
A Government That Forgot the Human Cost
Kwara Express was not just a transport company; it was a source of livelihood. Drivers, mechanics, ticket officers, cleaners, administrators each paycheck fed families, paid school fees, and kept roofs over heads.
The shutdown was executed without a clear transition plan, without humane engagement, and without regard for the ripple effect on dependents. Children were withdrawn from schools. Rent went unpaid. Medical bills piled up.
Governance is not just about cutting costs; it is about managing consequences.
Promises Made, Promises Broken
The government publicly assured workers that they would be paid off. Months turned into a year. No comprehensive settlement. No timeline. No transparency.
If a government can shut down a public institution and walk away from its financial obligations to workers, what message does that send to:
- Civil servants?
- Investors?
- Citizens who believe in social contracts?
A promise from government is not a press statement, it is a moral and legal obligation.
Reform or Recklessness?
If Kwara Express was inefficient, then reform it.
If it was mismanaged, prosecute offenders.
If it was financially draining, restructure it.
But shutting it down without cushioning workers is not reform it is recklessness.
Other states are modernizing public transport, partnering with private operators, and expanding mobility. Kwara chose the easy exit: closure without responsibility.
The Way Forward: What Must Be Done Now
1. Immediate Payment of All Outstanding Entitlements: The state government must, as a matter of urgency, pay all accrued salaries, severance packages, and benefits owed to former Kwara Express staff.
2. Public Disclosure and Accountability: Government should release a transparent report detailing:
- Why Kwara Express was shut down
- What happened to its assets
- How funds were managed before closure
- Reintegration or Compensation Plan
Affected staff should either be:
- Absorbed into other state agencies, or
- Fully compensated with dignified exit packages
3. Legislative Oversight: The Kwara State House of Assembly must step up not as cheerleaders, but as watchdogs to investigate and protect citizens’ interests.
A Question That Refuses to Go Away
How does a government preach empathy, inclusion, and people centered governance while discarding workers like expendable tools?
The shutdown of Kwara Express may be history, but the suffering it created is ongoing. Until justice is done, this issue will remain a stain on the conscience of the Abdulrazaq administration.
Governance is not judged by projects alone but by how it treats its most vulnerable.
And on Kwara Express, the verdict from the streets is clear: the government failed its workers.
No comments