So, Araba (the Abuja equivalent of the Lagos danfo) has been phased out and high capacity buses now ply the roads to the city centre from the suburbs in a drive by Bala to clean up the city.

Next to go most likely are the green taxis or so we hear. Earlier in the year, I took a taxi from the Fed secretariat to Maitama and while riding, the cabbie wouldn’t stop moaning. He told me he may soon pack up and go back to his village, that they have been given a deadline of Oct 1 this year when they are supposed to either leave the business or get one of the air conditioned new taxis for almost N3m.

fct-taxi-cabs

Abuja taxis

He was almost crying wondering how he would be able to afford a 30% down payment of about 1m for the taxi with repayment obligations of almost 50k per week when all he made in a day atimes was 4 or 5k or about 35k a week at an average of 250-300naira a drop.

Well, I sympathized with him and told him it may not happen soon but it seems that was scant consolation for the cabbie. What could I do?

That cabbie’s fears were giving life on Saturday when the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) gave out 52 SURE-P brand new taxis to members of the Self Employed Commercial Drivers Association of Abuja (SECDAA). The administration had last month given out seven, which brings the total number to 59. I gathered that each of the vehicles cost N2.6 million in which the beneficiaries are supposed to pay back within three years.

SECDAA National President, Chief Kenneth U. Ezeh, said each beneficiary in their association is supposed to make weekly payments which will total N67,000. He enjoined beneficiaries to ensure that they use the vehicles to carry passengers within Abuja and its environs, adding that the FCTA has warned that it is an offence for anyone to violate the terms of agreement.

Now, 67k a week translates to about 95hundred a day- thats almost 10k a day. For a taxi driver who subscribes into this scheme to make it, he must carry 30 people everyday for an average of 300 naira to have the FCTA’s money after which he will now start working for himself (on any particular day).

If he spends 3k daily on fuel, the next 10passengers will be fuel money, so he will make his first buck for himself when he picks up his 41st passenger. In this our Abuja? I laugh. Such drivers will pray they get passengers who will pay 3k or 5k for a dash to the airport or those whiteys who can drop a $50 bill for a cab ride from the ICC to the Hilton.

Anything asides this, taxi fares will surely rise from the normal N250-300 for short distances to about 500-700 for same distances in these new cabs. Long hauls that attracted about N700 to 1k fares will now jump to anything from 1k5 or 2k. Well, I will leave the calculations to the taxi drivers as this move is a sure prelude to the phasing out of the green cabs that now litter the city. hm15gsrfea_taxis2

Given the apathy the current crop of taxi drivers are showing to this scheme, how the new cabs effectively replace the 30,000 plus taxis that now offer ‘luxury’ transportation for Abuja’s elite remains to be seen.


http://myabujachronicles.com/abujas-new-cab-regime/

@Post

Public transportation is becoming hell for those without a vehicle.

yea it is. those who take taxis actually even spend more money than those who have cars

Ure not kidding, r u? Atyms wn policies r introduced in2 Nigeria, u begin 2 wonder if the policy makers take in2 acct d statistics (however independable dey may be) available 2 us. NBS reports dat abt 61% of Nigerians live on less than a dollar, a day; UNICEF reports dat abt 70.8% of Nigerians live on less than a dollar a day and abt 92% on less than 2 dollars (ie less than abt 300naira).

Now, a meagre 15000 is still being contested by d elites as being too much as minimum wage. How does Bala expect the average Nigerian who probably dosnt care much abt living in d capital, but is being dragged there 4 econmic reasons 2 survive d avoidable hardship he is creating.

If u reside in abj, u'd knw dat banning d arabas has brought untold hardship on nigerians. The long buses r few, irregular and wud neva get u whr u wanna b on tym. The rush 4 accomodatn within d city centre has thus increased raising house rents in d city centre to laughable figures. Decent one bedroom and a parlour (without dining room) nw rents 4 as high as a million naira 4 just 12 mths, and some landlords demand 2yrs rent.

Nw all these is without consideratn of d bus drivers, conductors and in a lil tym, taxi drivers who'll join d already over-bloated unemployment pool.

I'm not saying Bala shdnt beautify abj, but y insist cab-drivers buy ur cab. For d ones who already hv cars, cudnt d cars b worked, inspectd by d VIO 4 road-worthiness, fitted with air-conditioners, maintained at a cerytain standard and allowed 2 operate? Cudnt d buses dat r decent be allowed 2 run d streets. Must d govt and its officials continue 2 feed fat whilst d poor masses suffer?? Now don't these people hav rights to do business anywhere in Nigeria if dey r able to meet a certain minimum requirements??

NAIJA, FOR HOW LONG

You are spot on..living in Abuja is tough for the majority..and much of the escalating costs in Abuja go to shyster landlords and agents and ofcourse not forgetting certain policies of goverment like this cab thingy. How do they pay you 67k a week and still make profits yet keep cab fares down. it means cab fares will average rougly 80-100naira a mile, dats about 50cents a mile compared against d generally accepted 14c

.

Op your analysis is Spot On

1. Bala Mohammed might have good intentions but I sincerely hope that the Op has made his Job much easier

2. I don't think the minister can remember the last time he took a Taxi if not he would have been able to get his Maths right, assuming that his Free Car and free fuel has not be clouded his sense of judgment

3. PDP led units must not start this elitist kind of behavior of the APC that pushes poor and struggling families to the brink of extinction, I sincerely hope the minister will take a second look and do the needful

God Bless the Op and God Bless Nigeria
www.twitter.com/ochejoseph

Dynssy: Ure not kidding, r u? Atyms wn policies r introduced in2 Nigeria, u begin 2 wonder if the policy makers take in2 acct d statistics (however independable dey may be) available 2 us. NBS reports dat abt 61% of Nigerians live on less than a dollar, a day; UNICEF reports dat abt 70.8% of Nigerians live on less than a dollar a day and abt 92% on less than 2 dollars (ie less than abt 300naira).
Now, a meagre 15000 is still being contested by d elites as being too much as minimum wage. How does Bala expect the average Nigerian who probably dosnt care much abt living in d capital, but is being dragged there 4 econmic reasons 2 survive d avoidable hardship he is creating.
If u reside in abj, u'd knw dat banning d arabas has brought untold hardship on nigerians. The long buses r few, irregular and wud neva get u whr u wanna b on tym. The rush 4 accomodatn within d city centre has thus increased raising house rents in d city centre to laughable figures. Decent one bedroom and a parlour (without dining room) nw rents 4 as high as a million naira 4 just 12 mths, and some landlords demand 2yrs rent.
Nw all these is without consideratn of d bus drivers, conductors and in a lil tym, taxi drivers who'll join d already over-bloated unemployment pool.
I'm not saying Bala shdnt beautify abj, but y insist cab-drivers buy ur cab. For d ones who already hv cars, cudnt d cars b worked, inspectd by d VIO 4 road-worthiness, fitted with air-conditioners, maintained at a cerytain standard and allowed 2 operate? Cudnt d buses dat r decent be allowed 2 run d streets. Must d govt and its officials continue 2 feed fat whilst d poor masses suffer?? Now don't these people hav rights to do business anywhere in Nigeria if dey r able to meet a certain minimum requirements??
NAIJA, FOR HOW LONG

I like it so much when sane people criticize a policy because they, while criticizing, proffer an alternate solution. For this, I endorse your post.

Bala or whatever his goddamned name is should be "contained" like the ebola virus before he implements this outrageous policy.

This topic should hit the front page asap! moderators, take note