BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU PALLIATIVE SCORECARD: Commercial Yellow Buses 60%, Government Owned Buses 80% Compliance
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Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State. High-capacity luxurious mass transit bus
** The Ministry of Transport is not satisfied but resolves to press on until total compliance is achieved.
A range of between 60 and 80 percent compliance in the reduction of public transport fares as ordered by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, of Lagos state has been achieved in the state.
An unannounced inspection conducted by the Permanent Secretary, PS, Ministry of Transportation, Engr. AbdulHafiz Toriola revealed the transport union’s efforts toward achieving total compliance.
While conducting an unscheduled tour for, an on-the-spot assessment of selected parks and garages over the weekend, the representative of the PS, Engr. Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, Director, of Public Transport Operations, explained that the on-the-spot verification was necessary because the transportation ministry was inundated with complaints of none compliance to the Governor’s directives on the reduction in transport fares as palliative for Lagosians to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
At each of the garages visited the Permanent Secretary reminded garage officials, commercial drivers, and passengers around that all state government-owned buses are to reduce their fares by 50%.
While the PS reiterated that the commercial yellow buses had been mandated to effect the reduction in fare by 25%, for commuters to have a sigh of relief from the fuel subsidy removal.
Toriola urged operators of the commercial yellow buses to be faithful to the agreement reached with the management of the Lagos State Parks and Garages on the 25% fare reduction, which was appropriately transmitted to them and mutually consented to by members statewide.
The PS also entreated the leadership of each of the parks and garages visited to equally reflect the 25% reduction in the union’s tickets issued to drivers.
Drivers were also entreated to reflect similar reduction- 25%-granted them from the union’s/garage’s tickets on the fare they charge commuters so that lease of life arranged by the Lagos state government will be felt by everyone, corporate and individuals in the transportation value chain.
Engr Toriola charged the union leaders in each of the units across the state to take it as a matter of duty to scrupulously “monitor drivers under their units and branches to ensure they fully adhere to the directive, saying “There is a need for them to monitor commuter buses within their zones”.
In his response, Akeem Egberoungbe, Secretary to Transport Unions at Ikeja Park, confirmed that union members operating from Ikeja Park had all complied with the directive of the reduction to ease the short-term burden of the petrol subsidy removal.
In the same vein, Musiliu Disu, a transport union leader at Iyana Ipaja, also stated that the level of compliance at the park was impressive.
Disu reiterated the Unions’ commitment to execute its own part of the bargain to the letter hence, the union’s leadership resolved to continue monitoring members in order to achieve total compliance.
Moreover, opinion polls conducted among the passengers in parks visited affirmed commuters had also felt the reduction in public transport fares.
A preponderant percentage of those polled expressed their appreciation to the Governor for the palliative initiative on transportation.
** Main photograph: Channels TV
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