NLC, TUC Kick Against BRT, LAGBUS Fare Hike

Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday expressed their displeasure and rejected the March 1 planned hike of fare of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) and LAGBUS buses approved by the Lagos state government.

The chairman of the Lagos chapter of the TUC, Francis Ogunremi, said the timing of the increment is wrong and is not taking into account the economic hardship that the people are barely scraping through.

He said the business is viable based on the current fares due to the monopoly it enjoys as the “single largest transport system in the heart of Lagos” and called on the government to reverse the decision.

He said: “The BRT and LAGBUS are monopolistic undertakings of some private individuals and moneybags, who contrary to fair practice are unduly allocated a section of the public road to the detriment of other stakeholders in the transport business.

“We submit that the business is viable at the prevailing fares due to the untenable principle of monopoly, as the single largest transport system at the heart of Lagos. We, therefore, call for the reversal of the announcement made by the managing director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Abiodun Dabiri.”

The TUC called on the governor to “correct his mistake by withdrawing the approval immediately.”

The decision by the government was described as wicked and inconsiderate. The price increase is not coming with a commensurate increase in the salary of the workers. Added to these is the fact that the country as a whole is in a recession.

The government announced the planned hike through Abiodun Dabiri, Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA). He said the approved fare increase is to save the bus schemes from collapse.

Dabiri explained that what the bus operators spent on fuel had gone up 71 percent, oil by 64 percent and tyre by 90 percent, threatening their continued operations.

Concise News Correspondents went to ask the man on the street for his reaction and most respondents said the planned increment of BRT bus fare is coming at a wrong time. They believe that the people are already faced with too much economic hardship and that this increment will be an additional burden for them. One that is almost unbearable. Some said a 50 percent increase is too much.

However, on the issue of the phasing out of Danfo buses, most were in support though they expressed hope that the replacement would be efficient and there is a system in place to assimilate the Danfo drivers that would be affected.