The Nation Newspaper

Category: Transportation

  • FRSC arrests over 2,000 motorists

    FRSC arrests over 2,000 motorists

    NO FEWER than 2,033 motorists were arrested for 2,268 traffic offences during Easter, says Lagos State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

    About 650 vehicles were seized during the exercise tagged: “Easter Special Patrol,” between April 1 and 8.

    Lagos Sector Commander Hyginus Omeje said the exercise was in line with the Corps’ strategic goals of reducing accidents by 20 per cent and accident related deaths by 30 per cent.

    According to him, seven crashes were recorded during the period; two persons were killed in two, 25 were injured and 52 were unhurt.

    Omeje said: “Over 500 officers, 35 patrol vehicles, two ambulances and four motor bicycles were deployed by the Corps in strategic roads within the state, while two heavy duty tow trucks were also positioned to remove obstructions in the shortest possible time in the event of any breakdown.”

    Before the exercise, the Corps, according to Omeje, embarked on safe road enlightenment campaign in 117 motor parks; over 5,000 handbills distributed. The Corps had 16 radio programmes aimed at educating the public on safety on the highway.

    The Lagos and Ogun Sates Zonal Commander, Assistant Corps Marshal Charles Akpabio, directed the officers to enenforce “strictly” the traffic laws.

    He urged motorists to avoid drinking when driving or the use of mobile phone while driving. Other offences include seat belt violation, over-speeding, overloading and any form of distraction while driving. He added that the licences and vehicles of defaulters may be seized.

    He appealed to officers to avoid bribery, adding that any one caught would be dismissed.

    The Lagos and Ogun Special Marshals’ Coordinator, Mr Toyin Kadiku, appealed to motorists to adopt defensive driving culture. He urged them to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy.

    The Anambra Command said it deployed 1,000 regular and special marshals for the exercise.

    The  Sector Commander, Mr Sunday Ajayi, who spoke in Awka, the state cpital, advised motorists to comply with directives.

    He said the commission would continue to arrest erring motorists in order to keep the roads safe.

    “I have deployed over 1,000 personnel that include regular and special marshals  on the roads,” he said.

    Ajayi  urged motorists to be safety conscious always.

     

  • Lagos rolls out new taxi regime

    Lagos rolls out new taxi regime

    •Provisional licences for 14,000 operators

    A NEW scheme, which the government of Lagos State says will make public transportation safer, more attractive and affordable, is on the way.

    Taxi-cab operators will be beneficiaries of the new system, which may get illegal taxi operators popularly called Kabukabu off the roads.

    Kabukabu is the name called private cars used as cabs by their owners to make ends meet.

    Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa dropped the hint while giving 14,000 provisional licences free to taxi and cab drivers at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Lagos.

    He said with the exercise, which came to an end yesterday, taxis will soon bounce back and regain their space in the multi-modal transportation system planned by the government.

    Opeifa, who represented Governor Babatunde Fashola at the event, said the licences would soon become tradable because of the government’s backing, adding that they could also be used as collateral for bank loans.

    He said the licences were given to those on the state’s data bank.

    A government research, Opeifa said, showed that the taxi and cab industry is worth N25 billion and this can be pushed to N50 billion in the next five years.

    Opeifa said it is worrisome that operators remained poor, while their services have been on a downward slide despite the industry’s potential.

    He said: “Beneficiaries are expected to take this provisional letters to the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) office, where their vehicles would be certified fit or they would be given some time to fix the problems and thereafter issued with the permanent licence, which would now be a life-time document.

    “Though the law puts the life of the vehicles to be admitted to operate in the state under five years, the governor had to extend this to 12 years, based on the economic realities that make the acquisition of fairly new vehicles impossible for the operators.”

    Opeifa said a new fare regime is in place, adding that road metering would begin next year.

    Another benefit of the scheme, he added, is that the Black Stripes on the yellow cabs will be phased out, to be replaced with the state’s colours of: blue, yellow, green and red.

    “Henceforth, the taxis and cabs would now be called Mega Taxis. Gradually, it would no longer be fashionable to see kabukabu on any part of the state as we are trying to strengthen the sector and ensure that operators are respected and responsible people who are not only making money but creating employment opportunities,” Opeifa said.

    The scheme, he said, is part of the multi-modal transportation initiative being put together by the government, adding that there is need for a good taxi and cab regime to fill the gaps being exploited by motorcycle operators.

    Opeifa urged Lagosians to support the initiative as the government would ensure that public transportation becomes the public’s preferred alternative.

    Lagos State Taxi Drivers and Cabs Operators of Nigeria (LSTDCOAN) President Tajudeen Adetoro lauded the initiative, which he said would revolutionise taxi operations as more orderliness would be brought into taxi service.

    He said his members were looking forward to the eventual take-off of the new regime.

    The Chairman, Modern Cab Operators Association of Nigeria (MCOAN), Mr, Adeboye Ajakaiye said the new regime would erase passengers’ fears of taxi services in the state, and bring sanity into taxi systems with more governmental presence and control.

    Ajakaiye said the corporate operators were looking forward to the take-off of the new regime, which would remove the fears of the older operators about the presence of new and younger operators, adding that the development will bring more businesses and open avenues for private sector investment in the hitherto unregulated industry.

  • Akwa Ibom transporters to protest stickers sale ban

    Transporters in Akwa Ibom State are gearing up to protest the purported ban on sale of emblems/stickers to motorists after Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.

    They claimed that the ban, which was based on a purported circular by the Joint Tax Board (JTB), was wrong.

    In a statement issued in Uyo, the state capital, last Friday, they said the JTB had no authority to ban stickers/emblems sale.

    The transporters comprise Tipper Contractors Association, led by Elder Udo Uko; Tipper Business Operators Association, led by Comrade Ezekiel Uyire; National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), led by Obong Michael Uwana and the Tipper and Truck Drivers Association.

    The JTB, which was created in 2005, claims to be the only authorised body to issue and sell such stickers nationwide.

    The transporters’ lawyer, Umo, Umo & Co., said in his clients’ “letter of protest” signed by NARTO’s Michael, and Chairman, Tipper Drivers, Owners, Loaders and Sand Dealers Association (TDOLSDA), Prince Asian Asian: “We write to recall a recent ban on sale of Emblems/Stickers to motorists in Akwa Ibom State by the Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue and hereby wish to register our strong protest against the said policy because it will impoverish our members with less revenue to the government.

    “If the policy is implemented, it will end up enriching only one man and his cohorts in the person of Dr. Ike Anikwendu of National Committee Against Touting, the promoter of this retrogressive policy; Dr. Festus Udo, Mitchel Udo and  Elder Udoekong Udousoro”. They pointed out that this policy was rejected in 2005 by the Federal Government then wondering why Dr. Anikwendu still  want to continue with it.

    Their lawyers, Umo Umo & Co. observed that paragraphs 2 and 3 of the circular from the Joint Tax Board are contradictory.  While paragraph two of the circular states that States and Local Government Areas derive most of their revenue from sale of  Emblems /Stickers,  paragraph three on the other hand directs States and Local Government Areas to stop issuance of Emblems/Stickers.

    The lawyers further stated  that the circular is merely persuasive  and not mandatory; that Lagos, Delta and Gombe States among others are selling their respective Emblems/Stickers unabated; that the body, National Committee on Touting under which the JTB issues its circular, is a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) with no compelling authority; that the body promoted by Dr, Anikwendu is unknown to the Constitution of Nigeria; that President Olusegun Obasanjo rejected the idea in 2005; that implementing the policy will create more problems than it seeks to prevent as thousands of people in Akwa Ibom State will be rendered jobless; that the State Government should drop the purported policy as it is not compulsory and at odds with the uncommon transformation policy of the State Government and that that the negative policy will adversely affect the socio-economic life of stakeholders in the transport sub-sector of the state as well as injury the revenue of the governments across board.

    The group’s lawyers have made their position known to the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, State Commissioners for Transport, Works, Police Commissioner and The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

    The group under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Transporters issued a notice to its members on March 27, to continue to collect their revenue at their respective posts. The group further said the issue concerning the purported ban on the sale of emblems/stickers is before the Federal High Court, Uyo.

  • Don’t travel without life jacket, govt warns

    The Lagos State Government has warned water transportation operators against the non-use of life jackets.

    It said no one should travel on its waterways without the use of life jacket.

    The warning came on the heels of a canoe mishap in Epe on March 28, in which six people, including a prince drowned. None of the victims wore a life jacket.

    Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa said the tragedy could have been averted if the victims had worn life jackets.

    Speaking exclusively to The Nation on telephone on Friday, Opeifa said while the state commiserated with the bereaved families, it would continue to make its waterways safe for travellers.

    He described the waterways as one area where the state should have a comparative advantage, adding that everything was being done to make water transportation a viable means of commuting and a pleasurable experience for all.

    He said while the state was embarking on the aggressive clean-up of water hyacinth, a major impediment on the waterways, it has also improved safety standards for operators.

    He said the government would continue to strengthen its enlightenment campaigns for all operators, irrespective of their size, to use life jackets rather than relying on their swimming skills.

    Opeifa said: “Life jackets are to water operator what an helmet is to a motorcycle operator. It enhances the chances of survival on the lagoon or sea anytime there is a mishap and we are yet to understand why some people would continue to operate without it despite all that the government is doing to spread the awareness about its importance. Last year, government distributed about 2,000 life jackets to all operators especially those operating in commercial transportation in the riverine areas. We will continue to acquire this tool and distribute to them as this remains the only way to ensure that asa many passengers as possible are saved from hazards on the water.”

    He said the Lagos State Waterways Agency (LASWA) would continue to enlighten, monitor and enforce operational standards among commercial water transport operators.

    As part of government’s efforts to deepen water transportation, the commissioner said more jetties are springing up in many riverine areas in an attempt to make the system safer and encourage more passengers to consider it as a preferred transportation alternative to the congestion on roads.

    “We shall continue to make our waterways attractive and soon we shall take delivery of seven big ferries to take people, but no one should take any ferry or canoe without a life jacket.

    “We are determined to make our waterways safe but all the operators and commuters must comply with basic safety standards. With life jackets, these tragedies could have been averted,” he said.

    “We have learnt that some of the victims even swam to the shore. This means that with a life jacket, they could have been saved.” I feel bad that many of the victims are educated and that nine of them were crammed inside a small boat meant only for five passengers. The canoe may have capsized as a result of the overcrowding. We sincerely regret the tragedy and would love everyone to take a lesson or two away from the incident and be more determined to make that the last tragedy we would ever record on our waterways,” he concluded.

  • 26 years after, train returns to Kaura Namoda

    26 years after, train returns to Kaura Namoda

    Kaura Namoda, in Zamfara State, is home to the last terminus of the North-western line of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). It once held the hope of a trans-border rail link that would have extended train service to Niamey, the Niger Republic capital.

    Rich in agricultural produce, the town last saw a train pass through its dusty corridor 26 years ago. The tracks became rutted over time following neglect.

    But the story may change soon as the NRC has restored its train service in the area, with the rehabilitation of the Zaria-Gusau-Kaura Namoda rail line.

    At the ceremony last Wednesday, the Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, said the service would enhance the economic fortunes of Zamfara State and the Northwest zone. It would afford passengers, especially farmers, an opportunity to transport their produce across the country.

    Yuguda, who represented Vice President Namadi Sambo, said the restoration of the service was in fulfillment of President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise to support farming and entrepreneurship in the Northwestern zone. He added that the project would open up the zone and also be a catalyst for job creation.

    He said the Federal Government has articulated a 25-year strategic plan for rail development aimed at reviving the rail system that was neglected for 30 years.

    Yuguda said: “In keeping with our commitment to the development of infrastructure and comprehensive service delivery, this administration has in addition to the rehabilitation of our rail networks on both the western and eastern rail lines, procured a number of rolling stock, particularly wagons and coaches.

    “The procurement and refurbishment of this rolling stock is a continuous exercise in order for us to fully realise our resolve to transform the sub-sector.”

    The modernisation of the rail system, he said, is progressing steadily, adding that the Abuja-Kaduna Standard Gauge is almost completed having attained over 90 percent completion while the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Standard Gauge is at an advanced stage of completion. He said when all these are completed, Nigerians would have a better experience patronising the train.

    “I am happy to reiterate the Federal Government’s determination to develop modern rail network by further constructing the Coastal Railway Line, which is to connect the commercial city of Lagos with the oil producing states of the Niger Delta and connect the commercial cities of the eastern part of the country as well as link the northern part through the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail Line,” Yuguda said.

    The Managing Director Adeseyi Sijuwade described the event as historic. He said history was being made as the train service is being restored many years after.

    He said to underscore importance of the occasion, the Corporation is dedicating to the route two air-conditioned first class coach, along with a fleet of second class coaches. He added that two air-conditioned rail cars have also been assigned for the use of its officials to sustain the regular maintenance of the route.

    He described the rehabilitation of the Zaria-Gusau-Kaura Namoda route as a dream come true as the Corporation could be said to have completed the rehabilitation of the Western line, which terminates in the historic town.

    He said the NRC was expecting a huge fallout from the revival of the route as many could make use of the train service, adding that the entire Northwestern zone is opened for higher passenger and cargo freighting by the corporation.

  • Erring drivers fined for traffic offences

    Erring drivers were booked and their vehicles impounded at the last Special Marshals’ National Patrol in Lagos and Ogun states.

    The drivers were apprehended for dangerous driving, overloading, seat-belt violations and driving with worn-out tyres, among others.

    According to the Lagos and Ogun states’ Special Marshals and Partnership’s Zonal Coordinator, Mr Toyin Kadiku, the exercise which usually comes up every third Saturday of the month is to bring sanity back to the roads.

    He said the exercise was in line with the objective of the Federal Road Safety Commisssion (FRSC) to prevent lawlessness.

    The offenders, Kadiku said, were  fined, warned and advised against a repeat of the offences.

    Kadiku said Special Marshals are the second tier of FRSC that prevent indiscipline leading to accidents on the roads.

    He urged drivers to start installing speed limiters in their vehicles to avoid being arrested on June 1, the dateline for the enforcement.

    Kadiku also appealed to motorists to obey traffic regulations.

    The Ogun State SMP Coordinator, Elder Emmanuel Fagbenro, said reckless driving, overloading and over-speeding were some of the factors causing accidents.

    He appealed to commercial drivers to always obey traffic rules and ensure they possess original driver’s licences. Some motorists, he said drive roughly when they see traffic managers to avoid arrest.

    Fagbenro, who stated that safety is everyone’s business, urged motorists not to leave safety to the Corps.

  • Borno gives 540 buses to commercial drivers

    Borno gives 540 buses to commercial drivers

    The Borno State Government has bought 540 buses for commercial drivers.

    Presenting the vehicles to National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) officials in Maiduguri, the state capital, Governor Kashim Shettima said his administration is committed to promoting safe and affordable transportation for the people.

    Beneficiaries, he said, would only pay 50 percent of the cost of the vehicles by instalments over two years.

    He said: “The buses cost the state government about N1.1 million each and each beneficiary is expected to pay back N550,000 by instalments over a flexible period.”

    The gesture, Shettima maintained,was to help cushion the losses suffered by the drivers from the Boko Haram insurgency, adding that since the outbreak of the crisis, they have been suffering in silence.

    “Since Borno State started facing the challenges of insurgency in 2009, one group that has remained a silent victim is the NURTW.

    “Countless number of commercial drivers who are members of the union have lost their lives on account of moving people from one point to another visiting families and keeping our society functional.

    “We all know that once vehicles, especially commercial vehicles connecting states are out of the road, a society is brought to a halt. This is because more than 70 per cent of citizens all over Nigeria depend on commercial transport for mobility of trade, social and cultural activities.

    “This is a group that keeps Borno connected to the rest of Nigeria and helps in conveying our people in and out of this State so we can all exist as a society. If anyone recalls the attacks of Boko Haram along Ngamdu, Mainok, Benesheikh, Jos, Potiskum as well as the religious riots in Kaduna and reprisals in the southern Nigeria over the years, then he or she will appreciate commercial drivers under the NURTW, because often times, they were caught on the high ways,” the governor said.

    He said the government has embarked on some road projects aimed at opening up Maiduguri, which is not just the state capital but, the largest city and the economic hub of the Northeast.

    “We came with so much ambition to remodel Borno State and make it an envy of many states in Nigeria. We wanted to make Borno a place where every citizen would be proud of and by Allah’s will, we will succeed,” he added.

    The state NURTW Chairman Alhaji Bello Maduganari, lauded the governors gesture. He said no governor has paid attention to commercial drivers.

    He said: “By giving out 450 buses to the NURTW, the governor has not only made life easy for 540 beneficiaries, but also assisted 4500 families, because each of the buses would have direct impact on 10 families based on known projections worked out by the union many years ago.”

  • LAMATA unveils strategic transport masterplan

    LAMATA unveils strategic transport masterplan

    The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has said the state’s Strategic Transport Masterplan (STM) will address the “chaotic”traffic in the metropolis.

    The masterplan will identify traffic management measures, transport infrastructure and services required for meeting residents’ needs.

    LAMATA’s Managing Director Dr. Dayo Mobereola gave an insight into the masterplan during the presentation of LAMATA’s photo compendium- “A decade of Transforming Transport (2003-2013)” to Governor Babatunde Fashola last Thursday.

    The STM, he said, envisions implementation of structural reforms and provision of infrastructure and services required to deliver integrated multimodal public transport system for the state.

    Part of the public transport infrastructure identified in the STM is the urban rail network. Mobereola said: “To demonstrate its commitment to transport infrastructure regeneration, the government began the construction of the first out of the six rail lines and two monorails identified under the rail network plan. The Blue Line Rail Project, as it is fondly referred to, which is 27-km is supervised by LAMATA. The Line will run from Marina in Central Lagos to Okokomaiko. Construction works on the first phase of the project, which covers a distance of 12km from Marina to Mile 2 commenced in July 2010 and is progressing.”

    To integrate the different modes, LAMATA he said, is implementing a pilot electronic ticketing (e-ticketing) scheme designed for uniformity of fare and ticketing. The e-ticketing scheme, he said, covers the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Bus Franchise Scheme (BFS), adding that LAMATA plans to implement other Intelligent Transport System (ITS) initiatives, which are designed to improve safety, efficiency and effectiveness of transport and traffic conditions.

    Mobereola described the compendium as an account of its stewardship to create an enabling environment for standardisation and effectiveness of public transportation.

    In the past 10 years, LAMATA, he said, introduced key policy and institutional reforms under the Lagos Urban Transport Project 1 (LUTP 1), aimed at strengthening the transport sector’s capacity for effective coordination, management and financing of the public transport system.

    He said the 2002 LAMATA Law was strengthened in 2007, with planning and regulatory functions across the various modes of transport, including BRT along prioritised corridors.

    “A total of 632km road network identified as main bus public transport routes was upgraded and rehabilitated. Interventions were completed on 45km of roads under periodic maintenance and 51.5km of road rehabilitation maintenance during the course of LUTP 1 implementation.

    “Interventions were also completed on 57 gridlocked road junctions, while users generally enjoyed reduced vehicle operating costs, improved travel time and road safety. An appropriate regulatory framework and enabling environment were provided by LAMATA for the organised private sector’s participation in the provision of improved bus services,” the LAMATA boss said.

    Mobereola said LAMATA began the implementation of the second phase of public transport sector policy and strategy (LUTP 2), on May 16, 2011, to demonstrate the commitment of key stakeholders to ensuring the continuity and sustainability of transport sector reforms implemented under LUTP 1.

    Fashola said successive administrations before year 2000 struggled with the problems of increasing road congestion, environmental deterioration and decline in public transport service delivery.

    He said government decided to redefine the transport sector policy in 2000. Improve the provision of transport services, particularly for low income public transport users and develope a strategy which revolve around developing appropriate institutional mechanisms for managing public transport sector.

    LAMATA, Fashola said, has developed into a strong, renowned and internationally acclaimed transport institution with an awesome record of successes achieved which has among others, prepare a strategic long term plan for the transport sector.

    He said the urbanisation challenges of a population growing at six per cent yearly against the national average of 3.5 per cent has heightened the need for efficient and affordable public transportation in the state.

    Fashola said: “I have always believed that transportation is at the heart of our civilisation and it will largely define the quality of our lives.”

    He said he is committed to ensuring a functional public transportation system, which is not only safe, but affordable and convenient.

    Government he said is committed to reducing poverty by  achieving the delivery of a multi-modal transport infrastructure and services for the people.

  • Don’t be reckless, FRSC tells motorists

    The Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos sector command, has urged the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and LAGBUS managements to monitor their drivers.

    The Surulere Unit Commander, Mrs Olawumi Oyeniyi, accused BRT and LAGBUS drivers of contributing to high rate of accidents with their over speeding, recklessness and hooliganism.

    She said some LAGBUS drivers always drive against traffic and have no respect for other road users, noting that they drive recklessly both on their dedicated corridors and ordinary roads.

    Besides, Mrs Oyeniyi said, some BRT drivers also behave as hooligans, thus constituting dangers to other road users.

    She appealed to BRT and LAGBUS managements to check their drivers and organise safety training and enlightenment programmes for the drivers and ensure that they are properly screened before recruiting them.

    Mrs. Oyeniyi appealed to commercial drivers to install speed limiters in their vehicles before the June 30 deadline when the Corps will start its enforcement.

    Speed limiters, according to her, were introduced to check over-speeding, which is another cause of road crashes.

    She urged transport unions to continue educating their members on the need to install the device saying: “Any driver arrested from July 1, for failing to install it shall be prosecuted.”

    She appealed to motorists and pedestrians to obey traffic rules and regulations. “Pedestrians should ensure that they use pedestrian bridges while crossing the highways and ensure they watch the road well, where there is none, before they cross,” she said.

    The Oshodi unit commander, Mr Taiwo Eko, also urged commercial drivers and motorcyclists to always obey traffic rules.

    Eko identified lack of knowledge of traffic regulations and driver’s impatience as some of the major factors causing road accidents. He urged them to engage in defensive driving and ensure that they have their driver’s licence.

    He appealed to corporate organisations to always ensure that vehicles are in good condition before embarking on any journey. He also called on them to organise safety training among their drivers to guarantee safety of lives and properties on the road.

  • ‘Auto policy may hike transportation costs’

    A maritime expert, Mr. Lucky Aimewero, has cautioned against the implementation of the automotive policy from June.

    The implementation, initially slated for January, was deferred to enable stakeholders’ key into it. The policy is meant to promote local manufacturing of automobiles.

    But Aimewero, President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), in a statement, said the policy’s implementation may have adverse effect on the transportation of passengers and goods.

    He said the hike of import duties from five per cent to 35 per cent on trailers, semi-trucks and buses would push the prices of imported vehicles out of the reach of Nigerians.

    The policy, he maintained, would take its toll on the availability of vehicles, thereby leading to high cost of transportation as those who could afford to pay the new import duties would increase transport fares.

    According to him, when the new duty regime is added to other charges, such as the Value Added Tax (VAT) that must be paid before clearing the vehicles, the cost would shoot through the roof.

    The shift in the deadline for the policy’s implementation, Aimewero said has started taking its toll on the volume of vehicles cleared at the Apapa Ports.

    Government, he said, should rather strengthen local assembly plants and ensure the development of cluster manufacturers that would produce the essential parts needed by the plants.

    If the policy is not well thought out and legislation and framework put in place, local plants may soon be overwhelmed by the demand for the vehicles produced, Aimewero said, adding: “I foresee a situation where demand, especially for small and large capacity buses needed for mass transportation, will overshoot supply and this would adversely affect transportation of passengers and goods in the country.”

    He said rather than rush into taking off with the auto policy, government should tinker with how to further strengthen the transportation sector, encourage those interested in developing  local capacity and ensuring that the wheel of transportation moves unhindered.