₦airaland Forum

dfrost:
Okay boss. Good morning naptu2

dfrost:
Are you sure everything is okay? Common mate, you don't need all these things.

Do you have an issue with naptu.2?

naptu2:
I remember that I found a link to a newspaper report about this case and I posted it here. Why can't I find it again?

naptu2:
The url that I posted years ago was a link to a newspaper article about the judgement of the court. I hope I can still find it. However, here is a link to a story about the government's pronouncement.


The administration of Governor Bola Tinubu waged 4 battles against the NURTW in its attempt to sanitise the transport system in Lagos. It lost all 4. It then realised that it could not defeat the NURTW and therefore decided to work with them.


I remember this issue very well because there were 3 events that were very similar. This was the first one.


The Lagos State Government decided to get rid of the agbero problem in Lagos and it banned the NURTW from collecting union dues at bus stops (this article is about the announcement by the commissioner of transport).

Mobile policemen were sent to bus stops and lots of agberos were arrested. I will explain this better when I eventually write about Tinubu and Fashola's welfare policy, but basically the government had a scheme in place to take agberos, beggars, street traders, psychotic people and the homeless off the street and to rehabilitate them.

However, the national president of the NURTW condemned the government's action and the union sued the Lagos State Government for violating the fundamental rights of its members. The court ruled that bus stops were public places and therefore the State Government had no right to ban NURTW members from bus stops because that would violate their right to freedom of movement.

The NURTW had won again.

Nigeria: Transport Union Can't Collect Dues From Drivers, Says Lagos

The Guardian

By Lekan Sanni
28 MAY 2001

Lagos State government on Friday, declared that the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) lacked the constitutional or legal right to collect dues from commercial bus drivers, who, by the provisions of the law establishing it are non-members.

To curb the union's excesses the state government will soon begin a crack down on the its officials who extort money from the commercial drivers.

https://allafrica.com/stories/200105290095.html

THE GUARDIAN
CONSCIENCE, NURTURED BY TRUTH
LAGOS, NIGERIA.     Sunday, October 19 2003

Divergent Views Trail Introduction of Green-White Commuter Buses In Ajah
BY KEKELOLA OYEBOLA

CONFLICTING claims have continued to trail the decision of the Lagos State government to replace the yellow commuter buses popularly called "danfo" by City Buses in Ikoyi and Victoria Island routes, even as the government has approved special commercial buses for Ajah residents.

The new buses are however, painted green and white as against the popular yellow and black. Feelers within the Ajah community showed that residents are yet to enjoy the benefits of this new transport system as investigation by The Guardian showed that most commuters are still often stranded at the various bus stops within the area.

It would be recalled that shortly after the announcement of the new policy by the Lagos government, a sizeable number of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) members went on rampage to register their anger.

Mr. Taoreed Modile, Financial Secretary, NURTW, CMS/Ajah branch, said government's change of heart was made possible by their chairman, Alhaji Adesina Ajayi who went to table the union's problems before the state government.

"After Alhaji Adesina had the discussion with the government, it was agreed that commercial buses willing to comply with the government directive should change the colour of their buses from yellow and black to green and white. We were then given numbers after which we are allowed to ply the route', he said.

Inspite of this measure, Modile still feel the arrangement which in his view was aimed at oppressing the masses even more,

"This new policy has affected everybody operating on the danfo buses together with their family members. We have been used to this route. But with this new policy, where does one start from?" he said. "This is not the first time that such policy has been tried in Lagos. Similar measure was taken during Adele and Ajose's time but they did not prevent others from plying the route."

The white and green buses charge N60 from CMS/Obalende to Ajah. Many commuters said they feel better with this development. "The mere fact that one is able to go straight from CMS to Ajah is a welcome idea. Before, it was really terrible when one waited endlessly for buses only to alight at Jakande to board another bus," says Mrs. Omolra Jokotola, a secretary who works in Ikeja.

However, Mr. Samson Peters who works at Lekki, said they still experienced hardship going from CMS to Ajah in the mornings. "If you come here early in the morning, you are bound to see people going to Ajah queuing up from under the bridge to CMS garage. While we feel happy about the little improvement, more could still be done to alleviate people's suffering. Whatever is delaying more buses from coming should be dealt with so that all these would become a thing of the past."

Mrs. Esther Iriwere, a nurse, is more concerned about the hours being wasted while the new arrangement is being worked out. "I have been given queries since this thing started. Before, I wake up at 5.30 a.m so as to get to my place of work at Alausa by 8 a.m in the morning. Now I wake up at 4 a.m only to still arrive late to work. Something should be done urgently."

Mr. Tony Ogbemudia, a member of the Independent Drivers' Association, the body that runs the T & M vehicles said more than 200 buses have been given number and permission to ply the Ajah route. "Very soon we are hoping that all our buses would have been painted and numbered. Then, there will be more than enough buses to ply the route in addition to those of the NURTW who are also changing the colour of their vehicles to the new one."

Efforts by The Guardian to reach the spokesperson for Cross Country Ltd, owners of city buses to find out their future plans, and other measure put in place to ensure compliance from their drivers failed. He was said to be indisposed.

The City Bus Palaver


When the Lagos State Government recently banned commercial buses plying routes on Victoria Island and Ikoyi areas of the metropolis, it introduced City Buses under a government regulated scheme. But this new scheme has imposed untold hardship on commuters, as they now wait endlessly at bus stops. Justice Ilevbare and Ibrahim Sule write on the issues at stake and steps being taken by government to redress the situation

At Obalende, downtown Lagos the penultimate Friday, a frantic mass of commuters were stranded they waited endlessly for hours for buses that would take them to their destination points on highbrow Victoria Island and Ikoyi. The sea of human heads milled around in utter bewilderment, signposting a near-collapse of the commuting system.

It was the second day of the Lagos State Ministry of Transport' launch of a new public transportation scheme. That scheme, by which private commercial bus operators were banned from plying the V.I and Ikoyi routes, is intended to sanitise traffic in these highbrow areas of Eti-Osa Local Government . But the new scheme offers no succour for commuters, particularly school children

The yellow and black private buses popularly refer to as Danfo , had from the previous day been barred from plying the roads of Ikoyi and Victoria Island by the state government. Scores of mobile policemen and officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), were on hand at all entry points to the two neighbourhoods to prevent defiant drivers. Children and women went through untold hardship as they struggled for limited buses that were allowed by the new scheme to operate on those routes. The scenario could best be described as the biblical camel passing through the eye of a needle: a situation where close to five thousand commuters struggle to get seats in a bus that has provision for just 18.

Mr. Chinedu, a trader at Balogun market, Lagos, was also stranded at one of the bus stops for several hours. He berates the new scheme by the government, saying: "How do you introduce such a noble scheme on routes where thousands of buses ply daily and replace these buses, with just two hundred buses?. I am amazed at the calibre of the vision of those in charge of the affairs of the country. It is simply not done anywhere. You cannot stop a such large fleet of buses from plying such a wide areas, where hundreds of thousands of people commute, overnight".

If getting to Ikoyi was a battle, to get out from the elite neighbourhood was a war. Chinedu was stranded at Keffi by Awolowo road junction in the hot, scorching sun for more than two hours. This was because of his resolve not to ride Okada on the busy Awolowo road.

Commuters were also stranded for hours endlessly at Tafawa Balewa Square, CMS and Jakande bus stop in Lekki, resulting in a chaotic situation on the Lagos Island and Eti-Osa council areas.

Students of the Marine and Oceanography Research Institute, Victoria Island, joined by some hoodlums went on rampage. They destroyed 17 buses belonging to Cross Country, operator of City Buses the outfit that has the sole right to ply the routes.

Tajudeen Jimoh, a commuter bus driver who plied Obalende and Falomo, wondered why anybody would choose to deprive him from his means of making legitimate income. He told THISDAY that the new scheme was just a ploy by those high-up to cornered the lucrative routes for themselves and their fronts. He wondered why a democratically elected government chose, in his view, to treat people contemptuously.

Jimoh said the most painful aspect of the crisis was that the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), failed to come to the defence of its members. "They are only interested in collecting union dues from drivers at every bus stop. Or have they made any pronouncements on the issue? I am asking you because you are a journalist."

Attempts by THISDAY to speak with the state chairman of the union, Chief Adeshina Ajayi were rebuffed at his office by some members of his staff. They would neither inform him of the presence of reporters wishing to speak with him, nor say how other principal officers could be reached. They simply asked reporters out of the Ebute-Ero, Lagos office.

Another driver spoken with said he was not surprised by the unbecoming attitude of the officers of the NURTW. "Since they don't work but make fortunes everyday, how do you expect them to come to our aid?". he asked.

Various commuters who spoke with THISDAY said it was unfortunate that a government popularly elected by Lagosians could expose them to such unnecessary hardship. The spokesman for Self-Employed Commercial Drivers Association of Nigeria (SECDAN), Mr. Richard Omijie, said the new scheme was capable of improving the welfare of Lagosians, but it was not properly done. He decried at a situation where his association, was not consulted by the state government, whereas a rival body NURTW, was given a chance to be involved in the scheme. "Where are their buses that they will use in plying the routes?. They (NURTW) are just interested in extorting money from drivers. But we who are hard working, law abiding are not being given a chance to participate in the scheme,".

Bowing to the protests by commuters, the Lagos State Government last week Monday licensed two operators to run shuttle buses on the routes.

Also on Monday, the State House of Assembly intervened in the crisis by summoning officials of the Transport Ministry and owners of the Cross Country transport firm.

In a motion he moved Hon. Jide Akinloye representing Eti-Osa constituency noted that the number of City Buses on the roads were simply inadequate .

The assembly urged the ministry to bring in more operators to reduce the sufferings of commuters. The lawmakers however advised the people not to sabotage the government's attempt to sanitise the transport sector.

When contacted for comment of the issue, Transport Commissioner Mr. Muiz Banire told THISDAY that the state government was not going to watch the scheme frustrated by a group of selfish and unpatriotic individuals. While warning those constituting a nuisance in the areas to stay clear, he said: "if the vandalisation and violent protests that occurred in Obalende , CMS and Jakande bust stops continue then such recalcitrant groups would be made to face the full wrath of the law".

According to him, the introduction of the scheme in those areas was necessitated by the need to have effective control and management of the transport system and to stem the menace of touts, otherwise known as Agbero, whose extortion of commercial vehicle drivers has become worrisome.

"Disorderliness, for example picking and discharging passengers indiscriminately at bus stops, where they are not designated as such, improper dressing and appearance of vehicle drivers and conductors, and many more problems informed the need to re-organise that sector and also to be able to control them effectively".

Banire refuted the claims by many that government is depriving the people of their means of livelihood. Government is not depriving the people of their livelihood, he said, rather government is creating jobs for many more people. "what we have said is that nothing stops those who are still interested to partake in the scheme, infact that is what they have done now. They have their own green and white colour codes and their own number, they call themselves CMS Taxi and Motors Nigeria Limited (T&M), which is the second carrier on those routes".

The commissioner said the basic requirement of owners of commercial vehicles who are still interested in plying the routes must include keeping their vehicles in good shape, have functioning trafficators, mirrors and comfortable seats, "So once you do all these, you then register under your company, which will issue you a number. So that whenever such vehicles commit any crime, the company would be held responsible".

On the fare being currently charged, Banire said that it was the cheapest so far around. "Now they charge N50 for normal express shuttle service, and N20 for normal service. So you can see that it is far much cheaper. If you are going to Ajah, it is the same N20 you pay on long buses, while the express shuttle which is the small buses cost N50,".

The Law lecturer-turned politician who said the scheme was still been test-run, pointed out that when formally launched, it would have taken care of all the defects currently encountered by the commuters. "What we are doing is test-running, we hope to put everything in place when the state governor formally launches the scheme soon. At the moment, City Bus alone have 270, with the Labour Transport making an addition of 30 long buses to complement the ones on grounds presently."

He declared that the services provided will be improved with coming of the second carriers (T&M), which commenced operation within the week. Also the buses are in good condition and ready to serve the people and alleviate their sufferings.

According to him, already, people are happy. NURTW and its state executives have signed an agreement, they also formed the second carriers (T&M). "The people are already benefiting from the scheme. The initial reactions of the people is expected, you expect such reactions like that when you are putting in place a change, and particularly a fundamental change.

"Traffic wise, there is better management on Victoria Island. The only thing is that the people were crying that the buses are not enough, but with the coming of the second carrier, that is the end of the matter".

Banire, described the transport situation in Lagos as far from what he expected. He said that the Lagos State Government is already putting measures in place to see to the realisation of this. " You can see the successes so far in the past four years. We are still going ahead, and that is part of what we are doing now. My vision for the state, is to have a state with effective and efficient transport system, where people especially are based on inter-connectivity".

The City Bus which has it terminals at TBS, CMS/Outer Marina, Obalende and Femi Okunnu Housing Estate (Round About), also has major bus stops in Ikoyi and Victoria Island with different routes and their routes numbers.

THISDAY was at the Oregun terminus of Cross Country to get the management's comments on the issue, but was referred to Yaba by the security who claimed that their head office is at Yaba.

At the Yaba office, all attempts to get official comments proved abortive as the staff neither agreed to speak with the reporter nor gave any hint relating to the issue. Further attempts to get the Yaba Office on phone was fruitless as the phone kept on ringing for hours without response.

naptu2:
CITY BUS

In 2003 the Lagos State Government decided to ban Molue and Danfo buses from operating in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki. The ban was the initial phase of a policy by which the government hoped to sanitise transport in Lagos. It was expected that the ban would subsequently be extended to other parts of the state. Hundreds of policemen and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) officials were stationed in Lekki, Ikoyi and Victoria Island to prevent danfo and molue buses from accessing those districts.

The government licensed City Bus, a company that was set up by Cross Country Limited, to carry out transport business in Ikoyi, Lekki and V.I. Cross Country runs inter-state transport services.

City Bus boasted tie wearing graduate drivers and conductors and airconditioned and neat buses and minibuses. The buses were painted white, with the blue-white-black city bus logo painted on the sides.

However, it's fares were way too high in some places and reasonable in others. For example, a bus ride from Obalende to Falomo cost 50 naira. The yellow and black danfo buses charged 20 naira at the time. There were also not enough buses.

Chaos ensued when agberos, who had been deprived of the money that they usually extort from danfo drivers and students of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, who could not get buses to go to school, attacked City Buses and damaged them. Commutters were stuck at bus stops because there were not enough buses. Huge crowds developed at the bus stops.

The government had to back down and allow the NURTW to create companies that would take part in the transport scheme. One of such companies is CMS Taxi and Motors Nigeria Limited (T&M), which runs a service, using buses that are painted green and white.

Standards broke down. In terms of quality of service, maintenance of buses, etc, the T&M buses were no different from the black and white danfo buses. The only difference is that the T&M buses are painted green and white, while the regular danfo buses are painted yellow and black.

City Bus stopped running transport services, because it did not make sense to compete against competitors that could charge low fares and use poor quality buses to ply the same routes. Instead, City Bus gave rights to regular danfo bus drivers to use buses painted in City Bus colours.

As a result of this policy, commercial buses that ply routes in Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki are painted either green and white or white, while commercial buses that ply routes in the rest of Lagos are painted yellow and black.


Below: a ramshackle City Bus (licensed to danfo driver) and a T&M bus (NURTW) (after the failure of the policy).

LASG TO KICK START "NO INSPECTION, NO CERTIFICATE OF ROADWORTHINESS" POLICY BY JANUARY

As part of the reforms in the transportation system, the Lagos State Government is set to commence the ‘No Inspection, No Certificate of Roadworthiness’ rule by January 2022 to improve safety on all roads across the metropolis.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, disclosed this at a meeting held recently at the Vehicle Inspection Service, (VIS) Headquarters, Ojodu, adding that the rule was made to curb and reduce to the barest minimum the accident rate which had spiked in recent times.

Oladeinde averred that the forum, which had in attendance transport unions and other stakeholders in the transport industry, was convened to collate and incorporate suggestions on the new policy before its commencement. He explained that the State Government is desirous of ensuring that only roadworthy vehicles ply the network of roads in Lagos to reduce gridlocks often caused by broken down vehicles, thereby improving the safety of lives and property.

Highlighting the features of the new policy, the Director, Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Engr. Akin-George Fashola explained that the earlier arrangement whereby Certificate of Roadworthiness is issued along with a Referral Note directing vehicle owners to visit the Lagos Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (LACVIS) for inspection will no longer hold.

He stated that it was discovered that vehicle owners do not take their cars for inspection within the stipulated period of 30days after receiving the Certificate of Roadworthiness, pointing out that such acts put the State in a precarious situation in terms of unforeseen eventualities.
According to Fashola, the new rule now will compel vehicle owners to go through inspection at any of the LACVIS centres on the expiration of vehicles particulars before a Certificate of Roadworthiness is issued.

"In the event that the vehicle did not pass the Minimum Safety Standard Text (MSST), a period of 30 days will be given for the vehicle to be fixed and thereafter return for a repetition of the MSST at no additional cost before the Certificate of Road Roadworthiness is issued", he explained.

The Director further stated that the LACVIS test has been categorised into both Public and Private, assuring that the 30 LACVIS centres located across the State are functional for all categories of vehicles and also have the capacity to accommodate the new policy, just as standard requirements will not be compromised.

While noting that mobile services are available for large fleet vehicle owners, Fashola reiterated that no vehicle will be certified roadworthy if the owners fail to present their vehicles for inspection to identify any faults for corrective measures. He said that VIS personnel will be deployed garages to help create awareness before the new policy kicks off.

The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Olusegun Ogungbemide, urged transport workers and stakeholders to comply with the new directive, stressing that the measures are solely for the safety and protection of lives and that strict adherence will be beneficial to all and sundry.

A representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Taiwo Abiodun, called for more awareness on the new policy and safe road culture while soliciting humane treatment from traffic management personnel.

He assured that the Union will play its part in correcting deviant behaviour sometimes exhibited by recalcitrant members.
The meeting also afforded the gathering an opportunity to discuss safety strategies aimed at reducing fatalities during the yuletide period and beyond.

#LASG
#ForAGreaterLagos