By Soni Daniel, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Ezra Ukanwa, Emma Elebeke and Fortune Eromosele
ABUJA — Despite the Federal Government’s intervention, slashing transport fares by 50 per cent during the Yuletide, transport fares have not gone down, rather, commuters at various bus stations in Lagos, Abuja and other major cities had to cough out huge sums of money to travel following the rise in fares.
This came as the Federal Government said it entered into an agreement with leading transport companies, among whom are God is Good Motors, Chisco Transport, The Young Shall Grow Motors, God Bless Ezenwata and Area Motor, to give 50 per cent rebate for ordinary Nigerians travelling by road or rail between December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
However, the travellers are to register online to benefit from FG’s fare slash.
Meanwhile, many transport operators across the country have opposed the directive by government mandating a 50 per cent reduction cost for passenger capacity for road transport operators.
They argued that such a reduction would be unsustainable and detrimental to their businesses, adding that they don’t have any trust in government.
This came as the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria, ALBON, lauded FG’s gesture, describing it as a welcome development.
ALBON also said it would mobilise its members to key into government’s initiative.
In another development, Nigerians at different markets in Lagos and Abuja, battled to prioritise what to buy due to high cost of food items, as they blamed the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government for the high cost of food products.
Most of the markets also recorded low patronage, due largely to the high cost of items on display for sale.
Fares still high
But, despite the rebate, many travellers still complain that they are paying high fares to get to their destinations.
A check at Mazamaza and First Gate on Lagos-Badagry expressway revealed that commuters traveling to the South-East had to pay between N25,000 and N35,000 depending on the route and type of vehicle, which does not reflect a 50 per cent slash.
A luxury bus charged between N22,000 and N23,000 for night bus, N27,000 to N30,000 and regular smaller bus and N35,000 to N40,000 for Sienna MPV.
It was about the same rate at Oshodi, Jibowu, Cele, Iyana- Ipaja, among others.
Also in Abuja, the hike was about the same rate.
Help Nigerians by reducing petrol cost, transport operators tell FG
Meanwhile, transport operators across the country have vehemently opposed the recent directive from FG, mandating a 50 per cent reduction cost for passenger capacity for road transport operators.
Our correspondent who visited some of the transportation companies, yesterday night in Abuja, observed that the operators were going about their usual business, without influence from Mr. President’s directive.
They argued that such a reduction would be unsustainable and detrimental to their businesses, adding that they don’t have any trust in government.
They claimed that the government failed to address the most pressing issue of high cost of fuel, directing private business owners to reduce the cost of transportation by 50 per cent.
But, reacting to the development, a top management staff of Young Shall Grow Motors, YSG, who pleaded anonymity, said: “We are not complying with anything. They should start by reducing the cost of fuel, then that is how we know that they are serious.
“This is a very stringent measure that the government proposed. I call it proposed because we won’t comply while our businesses suffer.”
Another top staff of God is Good Motors, GIGM, Abuja branch, said: “Nigerians should not bother listening to whoever that is in government. If you want to travel, come and pay your money and travel. From what I know, we have not met to discuss this development. We are still collecting our money from travellers.
“You see, the issue is trust. We don’t trust them to do anything. What if you do it now for patriotic reasons, and you end up being sidelined, it will be very crazy. So, it is better for us to carry on our business. If government wants to help, they should reduce fuel cost or bring their own buses to convey Nigerians.”
Another top management staff with Akwa Ibom Transport Company, AKTC, in Abuja, who pleaded anonymity, said: “As of today, the cost of flight is increasing almost everyday and the government hasn’t taken any decision. They should leave us alone. Even if they bring a task force to implement it, we will not comply.
“If they truly want to work, then they should just reduce the cost of fuel.”
Why we pick only 5 transport firms for yuletide ride-FG
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, who made the clarification at a news conference in Abuja, said more transport firms that meet the criteria set by government could be considered if the need arose within the two weeks’ window, starting from December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
The minister said: The five companies chosen by the Federal Government are well established transport firms that Nigerians know and they have been operating well across the length and breadth of Nigeria for many years.
“The government is not going to engage in a business-as-usual scheme for all comers in the choice of transport firms to ferry Nigerians at half price during this period.
“The truth is that only those transport companies with proven record of performance have even chosen to run the scheme which is intended to provide succour to Nigerians during this yuletide.”
Luxury bus owners commends FG
The transporters said the intervention by President Tinubu this festive season is a commendable gift that would help Nigerians celebrate the Yuletide season.
ALBON, which is an umbrella body of inter-city and long distance passenger transport vehicle owners in all parts of the country, said the gesture will go a long way in alleviating the harsh effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on the masses, “at least, this festive season.”
The luxury bus owners said in a statement though the reduction was very sudden, it has started reaching out to its members across the country and mobilising them to ensure they gear up for the immediate implementation of the Federal Government’s directive.
ALBON in a statement by the President, Nonso Ubajaka, and the Secretary, Frank Nneji, commended the Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Alkali, for facilitating the presidential intervention.
“The Ubajaka-led ALBON executive council had consultations with the Transportation Minister to fine-tune the arrangement.”
The transporters assured the Federal Government and the public that the 50 per cent reduction in fares will cover all the luxury bus/mini bus routes across the country.
According to the arrangement, passengers travelling from Lagos to eastern destinations like Onitsha, Enugu and Owerri, which currently attract about N36, 000, would now pay N18, 000 between now and January 4, 2024.
Similarly, on the Lagos-Kaduna-Zaria route where the fare this season is about N48,000, passengers are expected to pay N24, 000.
NRC begins zero fare for train passengers
Also, against the rumours making the rounds that train passengers were still being charged, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Mr. Fidet Okhiria, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent confirmed that they have begun implementing the government directive.
“We have started zero fares for train passengers. Anybody paying to anyone is going through the wrong hands. Go through our platform and you will confirm what I am saying. Zero fare for train passengers has commenced,” he said.
Low patronage hits markets as traders blame fuel subsidy removal
Marketers in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and other parts of the country, have blamed the removal of fuel subsidy as the cause of low patronage and high cost of food products.
A visit to the main Kuje market, two marketers interviewed by our correspondent blamed the removal of fuel subsidy as the major cause for low patronage and high cost of food items.
A marketer, who identified herself as Mummy Ade, and sells rice, beans, and major cooking items, said: “I’m just a year old in this market. My fellow marketers and I have really been complaining that people are not really buying much because of the prices now.
“Everything you see now in my shop has added price, I am not selling them the same price I was selling earlier this year and even last month. This is due to the increase in the price of fuel. These things we buy are transported from one place to the other, so we do not expect that the price will not reflect on the food items we are buying also.
“It is really affecting us negatively. Assuming customers were buying these things at a cheaper rate, people would have been buying these things more. The only thing I will beg of the President is to bring down the price of fuel.
“If there was no increase in fuel price, everything wouldn’t have gone up like this because I believe that fuel for Nigeria is like water, and without it we cannot survive”.
Another marketer, Jude Eze, also blamed the high cost of food items on the removal of fuel subsidy and appealed to President Tinubu to invite experts to deal with the situation.”
Also, a customer, who went to buy things for the Yuletide, said: “Last year was better than this year, things were cheaper last year because there was no subsidy removal. But this year, take for example, the 25 litres kings vegetable oil, as of last November, I bought it at the rate of N36,000, but as of today, it is N40,000.
“It means that the little money I have, I must prioritise, otherwise, I will not be able to afford anything. I buy things in small quantities and it’s about the same thing with most people I know. The implication is that we don’t buy more and the traders will not make serious sales,” she added.
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