As part of efforts to boost its Internally Generated Revenue and ensure financial independence, Kwara State Government has handed over 42 buses acquired at the cost of N270.6m to Harmony Transport Services to revitalise the operations of the defunct government owned transport company, Kwara State Transport Company, Operators of “Kwara Express”.

Speaking in Ilorin, the State’s capital, while handling over the buses, Governor Ahmed said Harmony Transport Services Limited, which replaced the defunct Kwara State Transport Corporation, was being steered towards growth, financial responsibility and generation of
profit.

According to the Governor, the Harmony Transport Limited was being repositioned to reflect how government business should run. “Indeed, establishing Harmony Transport Services Limited reflects how we intend to run government business henceforth: through innovative approaches, prudent management and targeted diversification”, he said.

Dr Ahmed allayed fears of the workers of the defunct Kwara State Transport Corporation saying “understandably, the dissolution of Kwara State Transport Corporation, for example, has created apprehension about the fears of its staff. Let me state clearly that no staff of
the defunct corporation will lose his job on account of its take over; the workers had the choice of remaining in the new company or seek redeployment to the core civil service”.

The Group Managing Director, Harmony Holdings Limited, Mr Tope Daramola said the defunct Kwara State Transport Corporate was unable to redeem its financial obligations, especially repayment of debts and payment of salaries due to its fleet of ageing buses.

Daramola said the transport company, through the intervention of the Harmony Holdings Limited was on the path of recovering as it reported profit for the year ended December 31st, 2013.