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Lagos appeals to transporters to comply with Sanwo-Olu’s fares reduction directive
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Government on Thursday appealed to commercial transporters in the state to reduce their fares by 25 percent to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had directed government transport vehicles to reduce their fares by 50 percent, saying that transport unions had also agreed to reduce their fares by 25 percent occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy.
Officials of the Lagos Ministry of Transportation undertook a tour of major parks in Agege, Iyana-Ipaja and Ikeja on Thursday to jaw-jaw with transport unions on the need to comply with the governor’s directives.
Abdulhafiz Toriola, Permanent Secretary, Transportation said due to the removal of fuel subsidy which has affected everyone, the federal and state governments had come up with palliatives measures to cushion the effect.
He said as a ministry, they were at the various parks to find out if the transport workers complied with the directives of the governor.
Toriola, who was represented by Olasunkanmi Ojowuro, Director of Transport Operations in the ministry, said “we are here to meet the transport union leaders and we expect them to coordinate the activities of their members to implement the reduction of the fees they pay for tickets by 25%, from N800 to N600 which they collect from their members, and transport fares are also to reduce by 50%. We also want to ask transport workers if their fares have been slashed.”
The Permanent Secretary noted that between 60 and 80 percent compliance had already been achieved, assuring that the Ministry would continue its sensitisation efforts to ensure complete adherence to the directive.
He further emphasised the need for transport unions to monitor the drivers under their units and branches to ensure they fully adhere to the directive.
Toriola also urged them to monitor commuter buses within their zones, not to disrupt traffic flow.
Responding on behalf of the Unions present at the parks, Akeem Agberoungbe who is the organising Secretary of the transport unions at Ikeja park confirmed that their union members had complied with the directive of the reduction to ease the effect of the petrol subsidy removal.
Similarly, Musiliu Disu, a transport union leader in Iyana Ipaja also explained that the level of compliance at their park was impressive.
The unions expressed their commitment to continue monitoring their members for improved compliance.
Passengers interviewed while confirming the reduction in the public transport fares expressed their appreciation to the governor for the palliative on transportation.
Mrs Iyabo Akeju, Chairman of Alausa-Secretariat Unit, said, “We have reduced the ticket fares and the money we collect from drivers, but our passengers are charged N200 if they want to seat four on each seat and N300 for three passengers per seat but this will change from tomorrow (Friday).”
However, a bus driver, Kunle Ajayi, complained that the reduction in bus fares had not helped their situation as they still purchased fuel at high prices.
