By Adeyinka Aderibigbe
The Lagos State Government has expressed dissatisfaction at the partial compliance of transporters to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s directive to reduce transport fare across board.
The Director, Transport Operations, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, said this during the inspection to Parks and Garages in Lagos on Thursday.
Ojowuro while addressing the union leaders and commuters said the Ministry if Transportation was out to monitor the compliance level of the operators to government’s directive to reduce transport fare by 25 percent for all categories of commercial vehicles.
Acknowledging that transportation was key to the development of any society, the Ojowuro, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation Engr Abdulhafeez Toriola, explained that government expected that transporters would not only understand, but assist the government to reduce the burden of the commuting public.
He said: “We visited seven units in Agege and we discovered that while five units complied, the remaining two are still operating the old fare rate; and we have informed the uncompliant units to do the needful. We have assigned a monitoring unit to go round all parks and garages and we would ensure that all law abiding transporters comply to government’s directive.
“We all know the situation in the country now, and government want to stabilise the economy that is why we came to find out the level of compliance from the commercial operators.
“The commercial buses union leaders had pledged to the government to reduce their fare by 25 per cent across board after the meeting with Mr governor before the implementation.
“We discovered that the union had also reduced the daily ticketing to N600 from N800.
“We need your cooperation and we want to find out if you are complying with government directive,” Ojowuro said.
He urged transport union to always comply with safety standard and avoid indiscriminate parking on the road sides, thereby disturbing the flow of traffic.
Ojowuro pleaded with transporters to avoid parking vehicles on the road saying that many vehicles were parked indiscriminately around the garages.
At Ikeja, Ojowuro commended the compliance level of transport union and pleaded with them to support the implementation of the reduction in some of the parks they discovered the order is still being flouted.
He commended compliance level at Iyana-Ipaja saying that they had reduced fare from Iyana-Ipaja to Abesan area of Lagos with 50 per cent.
The Director Administration and Human Resources, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Lawal Akapo, appealed to the commercial buses union to comply with government’s directive.
Akapo said that if the transport fare was reasonable that many passenger would benefit from the transportation system and it would help government to achieve its intervention, meant to proffer relief to members of the public.
He explained to the transporters that Mr governor had always respected and appreciated them for their patience, understanding and tolerance which has ensured the seamless movement of goods and services from one point to another.
Akapo, advised them to always drive with number plate, sticker and other regulatory standard to reduced accident to barest minimum.
The Director, Public Transport and Commuter Services, Mr Abel Olusoji Adebayo, appealed to commuters and transport union to always do the right thing.
Adebayo who described the slash as a sacrifice done in public interest, appealed to the transporters to comply with government’s directive by bringing down their fare, even as he urged them to always comply with government’s transport regulations.
Comrade Iyabo Akeju, Chairman Alausa route in Agege, said they had reduced State Government ticket to N600 following government’s directive while they had also reduced their daily ticket to N200 from the initial N400.
“Before now passenger usually pay N200 and they were seating four on a row, but the passenger often complains that they prefer to seat three on a row and they will be paying N300 per person,” Akeju said.
A driver, Mr Ikechukuw Mba said it was so expensive to maintain vehicle lately, adding that besides fueling, and other incidentals that their incur daily, the price of motor parts is on the high side.
“The vehicle insurance was N7,500 before the subsidy removal, but it has now has been increased to N20,000.
“We realised N4,200 on a trip, when we buy 10 liters fuel for N6,000 we used the fuel for three trips.
“Majority of our passengers are staffs of Alausa, they appealed to us to allow them to be seating three persons on a row that they will be paying N300 instead of four on a roll to pay N200.
At Iyana-Ipaja, Mr Nosiru Disu, Chairman, Branch U, inter State Transportation, said they were collecting N3,000 from Iyana-Ipaja to Ijebu, and they had reduce it to N2,500 same applicable to Ibadan trip too.
“We are begging LASTMA and police to intervene in reducing traffic congestion at Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos.
“We have reduced the transport fare from Iyana-Ipaja to Berger which was N600 after subsidy removal to N400,”Disu said
He said that their parks was complying with the government’s directive on transportation reduction.
Chairman, Ikeja Branch A, Sulaimon Elegbeda, said they had reduced the ticket from N800 to N600 adding that they had also reduced fare across board.
The organising Secretary, Ishaga unit, Mr Hakeem Egberonbi, said no increment was added by his members from Ikeja to Ishaga as it still remained, N400 while at night, they carry N500.
Oluwasegun John, Secretary, Oba Akran unit, Lagos State Park and Garages Branch B, said the subsidy removal actually affected the income of the drivers, adding they they are however complying after discovering the government efforts.
“Our Branch Chairman, Mr Biodun Ariyo, have compelled us to reduce the price on transportation across the board while the transport management have reduced their fee across the board.
The Unit Chairman, Ikeja Alausa, Comrade Samsideen Babajide said, they had not increase their fare after the subsidy removal.
Babajide said they usually carry security personnel and some State Secretariat officials free of charge before now to appreciate them adding that they were still collecting N200 across board.
“Before now, we are collecting N1,500 for booking, loading and the Lagos State ticket, after the directive we have reduced it to N1,000, N600 for government ticket while the remaining N400 for booking and loading.