Days after the Federal Government announcement of 50 per cent slash on road travels, there seems to be no reduction of prices on reduction.
Observation by this medium yesterday across listed transport companies in Lagos shows that the reduction is yet to come on board as most of the prices are still high.
Cost of interstate travel from Lagos to East and South-South is still on the rise.
Despite the high cost of travelling passengers were seen trooping into parks to board buses to their destinations.
Checks by this medium showed that transport fares from Lagos to the South East and South South regions have remained on the high side despite the government’s intervention.
At Okota, Ikotun and Festac Parks, one of the popular interstate parks in Lagos, it was learnt that most of the vehicles leaving for the East had been fully booked.
The motorists told our correspondent that many people were not travelling this year because of the hike in transport fare.
Despite the president’s directive, it was gathered that Okeyson Motors at these parks to Owerri was charging N32,500 from N27,000, while God Is Good Motors charged N41,100 to Port Harcourt from Lagos.
One of the drivers, Emeka Ike, said: “My vehicle is filled up for Thursday and Friday but I can tell you that you would still get a bus or a car anytime you come around because many people are not traveling.”
The Young Shall Grow bus service at Iyana-Ipaja on the luxurious bus charges N30,100 for Owerri from N27,100 charged a few days ago.
Another passenger, who acknowledged the 50 per cent cut by the president, said it was coming late as many of them had booked way ahead.
“For instance, many of us traveling on Friday have already paid N41,000 with God is Good; before it was N20,000. What we learnt is that this affects only the luxury bus. What about small cars? We are still paying the same amount,” said the passenger at Iyana Ipaja park.
At Oshodi Interstate Park, luxury bus operators including Bonnyway Motors, Chimezie and Bros, God Bless Ezenwata and Izu Chukwu were yet to slash prices.
For instance, Lagos to Onitsha, Owerri, Aba, Ihiala and Delta, which used to be N16,200 is now N22,500. Port Harcourt on Chisco was increased from N19,200 to N25, 200.
At Jibowu yesterday, Ekesons Bus to Owerri was N26,500 and N30,500 to Port Harcourt; Young Shall Grow charges N26,500 to Abakaliki and Enugu while God is Good to Owerri is N42,300 on the mini buses.
One of the operators said: “We read about the development in the paper. Government should reduce the cost of fuel and diesel before giving such a directive to reduce prices.”
Checks on God is Good motors website yesterday shows that there is a 50 per cent discount on all fares courtesy of the Presidential Travel Relief Initiative programme.
A trip as at yesterday from Lagos to Owerri at the Iyana Ipaja station was N41,100, showing that the reduction has not gotten to the branch.
Also, GIG, which is one of the transport firms selected for the scheme, is yet to reduce the price for online booking on their official website. The fares for inter-states journeys were still higher than what was paid for similar trips a few weeks ago.
For instance, Abuja to Lagos, which was about N25,000 a few weeks ago, was pegged at N52,000 on Thursday. The fare for a journey from Lagos to Imo State was also pegged at N42,300 by the same firm on its official website. The company also fixed N45,000 as the fare for a trip from Lagos to Rivers State.
GIG via its X page explained that the only terminals they had started the initiative were Jibowu and Ajah in Lagos, revealing that “other terminals would be announced in the coming days.”
There was no word from the four other firms in the initiative as compliance checks one Chisco Transport, Young Shall Grow, God Bless Ezenwata and Area Motor were hampered by their poor online presence. For instance, Chisco Transport’s online booking site only accommodates trips from Lagos to neighbouring West African countries such as Ghana and Togo.
The Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON) has described as a welcome development the Federal Government’s decision to slash public transportation fares by 50 percent across the country from Thursday, December 21, 2023, to Thursday, January 4, 2024.
The transporters said the intervention by President Bola Tinubu this festive season is a commendable gift that will 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, hours after the announcement by the Federal Government, that 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.
Signed by the President, Nonso Ubajaka, and the Secretary, Frank Nneji, the ALBON press release commended the Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed 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 percent reduction in fares will cover all the luxury bus/mini bus routes across the country.
Some of the routes listed are Lagos to major cities in the north, and south-east, and south-south, including, Kano, Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Jos, Onitsha, Owerri, Enugu, Nsukka, Abakailiki, Aba, Uyo and Port Harcourt, among others.
Also covered are Onitsha to Lagos, and various destinations in the north, including, Kano, Abuja, Sokoto, Jos, and Gombe, as well as Aba-Owerri-Abuja; and Aba-Lagos.
Luxury bus passengers departing Abuja to Sokoto, Lagos, Onitsha/Owerri/Port Harcourt, Enugu/Abakaliki, Kano and Gombe routes will also pay only half of the current fares.
