• Most transport companies yet to comply, ALBON claims 13 companies, not five, should participate
• Commuters laud FG ‘s initiative
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano; Fred Itua, Abuja; Tony John, Port Harcourt; George Onyejiuwa and Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Confusion and partial compliance are currently trailing the President Bola Tinubu’s 50 per cent slash in interstate transport fare for Nigerians travelling during the Yuletide from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
The largesse has caused distinctive reactions in the transport industry, including feeling of exclusion of major transport companies. Some companies like God is Good Motors and Associated Bus Company have already begun implementing the directive in different states.
But companies like Chisco Motors and Young Shall Grow offices in the country have been unable to comply with the scheme. It was gathered that they had yet to receive instructions from their headquarters in Lagos.
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is also experiencing issues because the Federal Government has declared 100 per cent reduction in the fare for train across all routes for the 21 days. Many passengers, according to available information, were denied entry, and were told to get their tickets through the corporation’s website. Some of the NRC officials also expressed dissatisfaction with the service as the failure of the website denied prevented them from providing for their passengers.
Passengers on board GUO, FG Onyenwe, God’s Time, and Welfare mostly patronised a transport company that are not included in the 50 per cent cut. Therefore, travellers are left questioning why some companies are not included and whether or not they would meet the criteria at some later stage. While the discount has elicited mixed reactions from the public, some passengers have shown satisfaction with the Federal Government’s palliative measure. However, the situation remains unclear for commuters who are yet to travel.
It was chaos on Friday in two major train stations in the nation’s capital, Abuja, as helpless passengers scrambled to secure spaces in overcrowded train coaches.
A visit to the main train station in Idu District of Abuja and Kubwa Station by one of our correspondents revealed a chaotic situation, where many passengers were stranded, while others were seen in hot verbal exchanges with staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Some of the stranded passengers, told Saturday Sun that they were denied entry and told to get their tickets through the corporation’s website. They, however, lamented that the website had crashed and that passengers couldn’t secure their tickets.
It was the same situation at the Idu Station. Some of the passengers, who were unable to secure the ride, were seen moving out of the station in droves to board vehicles going to Kaduna and other parts of the North.
At the Utako Park of one of the transportation lines that the Federal Government secured an agreement with, the development was relatively peaceful.
Though the park was crowded, staff of the transportation line were very professional. However, it was observed that the vehicles on ground were not enough to attend to the needs of the passengers. As at the time our correspondent left the park, passengers were still seen hanging around and waiting for promised buses the transportation had said will be available soon
In Owerri, the capital of Imo State, ABC (Associated Bus company), God Is Good Motors (GIGM ) have already started complying with the Federal Government’s directives. Some other major transport companies like the Young Shall Grow and Chisco Motors said they were yet to receive directives from their headquarters in Lagos on the 50 per cent slash on fares.
The Manager of God Is Good Motors (GIGM) in Owerri, who simply introduced himself as Chika, confirmed that the company has started complying with the directives. He stated that it is now 50 per cent reduction of the current fare on all routes.
The Owerri Manager of the ABC, Ochuko Atirene, also confirmed that the company has already started implementing the directives since Thursday December 21st December. He also disclosed that they have reimbursed those who had booked earlier before the directive was given.
According to him, travellers from Abuja to Owerri will now pay N15,000 instead of N30,000 while those from Lagos to Owerri will pay N13,750 instead of N27,000.
However, Emmanuel Anyanwu, a member of staff of Chisco Transport, Owerri Office, said the office was yet to get any directives from their head office in Lagos on the Federal Government’s directive. It was the same for the Young Shall Grow Motors, as one of the ticketing officers told our correspondent that the office too has not received any directives for compliance with the Federal Government’ order.
Our reporter gathered that the Chisco Transport Company now charges N22,000 from Owerri to Lagos by small bus, while its fare for same journey by a luxury bus is N18,000. A cashier in the company told our correspondent that the management was yet to say something about the federal government’s offer.
Also, the only luxury bus company operating in Kano among the list of companies engaged by the Federal Government is God Bless Ezenwata Company.
The Young Shall Grow, Area Motor, Chisco and God is Good Companies do not operate in the state any more.
When Saturday Sun visited Kano’s luxury bus park at Hotoro Bypass, a total of three Ezenwata buses had been loaded for the day and had departed the state towards the South East. It was, however, gathered that none of the passengers of these departed buses paid anything less than the normal fare of N30 000 for their trip, including sundry additional fare for their luggage.
As gathered, only a luxury bus company operating in Kano, has been enlisted into the federal government’s transport intervention. Investigation showed that probably over 90 per cent of travellers from Kano State for Christmas celebrations might have been excluded from benefitting from the policy.
Findings by Saturday Sun in Plateau, the God is Good Motors (GIGM) is the only vehicle operating from Jos that has been designated for the 50 per cent transport rebate. Others like Chisco and Young Shall Grow operate skeletal services from Jos.
At the transport terminal located opposite Bingham University Teaching Hospital, the Manager of the station, Mr. Female Habila, told Saturday Sun that the scheme took off on Thursday. He said most passengers were not aware of the scheme until they got to the bus station.
According to him, most of them had paid the N41,000 fare to Lagos, but were excited when they were told that they would get a 50 per cent rebate. He said they would be given forms to fill the details for the refund.
The bus, Habila said, operates Abuja – Akure – Ibadan – Lagos; Enugu – Okigwe – Umuahia – Owerri – Aba – Port Harcourt; and Abuja – Lokoja – Auchi – Benin – Warri – Bayelsa routes.
Some of the passengers, Oby Nkwaze, Adesina Opoola, Chris Onuorah, Yinka Owolabi, and Yange Armstrong, who were travelling to Lagos expressed satisfaction with the Federal Government over the palliative measures.
However, the story was not the same at Gada Buy and Enugu Road, where most transport companies going to the Eastern part of the country, and Lagos operate from. Many passengers said they were not aware of the scheme and queried why major transport companies like GUO, FG Onyenwe, God’s Time, and Welfare, were not included in the scheme.
In Lagos, the story is the same for the Young Shall Grow Motors and Chisco Transport Company. They have been carrying passengers to their destinations in other states without the 50 per cent reduction because they have probably not been listed in the scheme.
Our reporter, who visited the parks of two of the transport companies listed to participate in the scheme, the Young Shall Grow Motors and Chisco Transport Company at Mazamaza, Lagos, Friday, noted that none of the transporters complied with the directive.
He asked one of the workers at the ticketing booth of the Young Shall Grow about their fares in the face of 50 per cent reduction directive by the president, the worker was surprised, as according to him; they were yet to hear such thing. He asked when such directive was given, noting that they were yet to get instruction to carry out the order.
He said, their fare on Luxury bus was N24, 100; Hummer bus, N28, 100, and Sienna car, N30, 100.
At Chisco Park, when the issue of 50 per cent fare reduction was mentioned, the workers said they were not aware of implementation of the scheme in the company. They added that there was also no instruction from the management to adjust their fares downward.
One of them said: “To me, it would have been meaningful if the president had directed that the price of diesel, which is over N1,000 per litre, is reduced to N500, and petrol that is about N630 per litre is reduced to N320.”