The Nation Newspaper

Tag: commuters

  • Motorists, commuters lament gridlocks on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

    Motorists and commuters plying Lagos Ibadan Expressway have lamented over the constant gridlocks that most times locked down the road.

    Those heading out of Lagos spend several hours in the snarling traffic from the Long Bridge to Magboro bus stop, following the narrowing of the road due to the ongoing construction.

    Also, the incessant breakdown of vehicles on the narrowed road prevents smooth-driving, causing heavy traffic for hours on the road.

    The motorists and commuters, however, urged the Ogun State government to emulate Lagos State in setting up a rescue plan to remove vehicles on the road.

    The state law enforcement agents were also urged to be strict in arresting drivers fond of driving against traffic whenever there is a gridlock on the road.

    A Magboro resident, who works on Lagos Island, Mrs. Yemisi Ayeni, told The Nation that it is now a regular occurrence to be held up in a gridlock when returning from work in the evenings.

    “I don’t think the Ogun State government knows the importance of the state’s proximity to Lagos State because if they do, they should learn from them in terms of rescue efforts.

    Read also: Traffic diversion on Lagos-Ibadan expressway begins today

    “Most times, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is overwhelmed by the gridlock and this is where the Ogun State government needs to assist in reducing the long hours commuters spend on the road each day. We know that construction is ongoing, but the slow pace of work by the contractors has made life difficult for people plying the area, especially when coming back from work in the evenings,” she lamented.

    A commercial driver, Akeem Jimoh, however, blamed the regular gridlock on indiscipline by commuters, who are fond of taking “one-way”.

    “I think with patience, the gridlock will ease but most drivers plying the road are just not patient enough and most times, drive against traffic. Long hours are spent on the road every day, but I have made up my mind not to drive against traffic, regardless of the gridlock.

    “Also, the contractors, Julius Berger should also hasten up the construction on the road to allow for smooth passage for those heading out of Lagos,” he said.

  • Commuters lament Ikeja Along axis’ gridlock

    Commuters and motorists plying the Ikeja Along axis on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway have urged the Lagos State Government to intensify efforts toward decongesting  the perennial  gridlock there.

    Those who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the weekend said they usually spent over two hours in traffic from Ikeja GRA, inward PWD and Ikeja Along between 3pm and 7pm daily.

    They said traffic jam on that axis from 3pm had become perennial due to commercial vehicles’ activities at the Ikeja Along bus stop terminal.

    The motorists decried the lackadaisical attitude of some personnel of the state traffic agency stationed there  to ease traffic.

    A civil servant, Mr. Adekunke Iyanda, said the officials were not strict enough in enforcing the law, adding that the bus drivers undermined their presence by parking on the road to pick passengers.

    He implored the drivers to use the bus stop park lane  to avoid causing traffic jam.

  • Commuters moan over high transport fares

    Across section of commuters in Lagos State is angry over high transport fares, blaming drivers for not being considerate as the Yuletide draws near.

    The commuters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos at the weekend that it had become unbearable, as the increases in fares were between 50 per cent and more than 100 per cent.

    Joyce Obi, a commuter, who boarded a CMS-bound Toyota Hiace bus from Iju-Ishaga said the fare had increased from N300 to N500.

    “The way drivers are demanding huge sum to convey us from one place to another in Lagos is becoming something else.

    “Where they used to collect N300 or at most N350, they said we should pay N500.

    “This means whatever you intend to do will reduce because after spending so much on transportation, what will be left to buy other things?”

  • Commuters warned against disposing of waste from vehicles

    The Lagos State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned commuters against throwing waste out of moving vehicles.  It said it could cause accident.

    An officer of the command, SP Adedotun Abayomi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday at Ago Palace Way in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government that it was a bad habit that could lead to accidents and maybe, fatalities.

    He spoke against the backdrop of a quarrel between a commercial bus driver and a car owner, whose vehicle was affected when a passenger threw out of the window, a black nylon bag containing the waste of what she had consumed.

    The bag fell on the windscreen of Mr. Chinedu Okafor’s car, which almost caused an accident.

    The FRSC official, an assistant patrol commander, said it was wrong for people to drop things off from a moving vehicle because it was likely to cause accident.

    “Dropping off things from a moving vehicle is wrong. It is an offence known as “Failure to cover unstable materials’’, and it attracts N5,000 fine.

    “People need to stop throwing things off moving vehicles. Drivers should encourage their passengers use the dustbin in their vehicles, instead of throwing waste out of the buses,’’ he said.

    Okafor, who struggled to control his car when the object hit his windshield, told NAN he was sad about the development and advised people to stop the habit.

    “It is becoming a norm for people to drop things off while in a moving vehicle. It almost caused an accident for me today.

    “These days you see people throwing what they have eaten off their vehicles. Sometimes it is sachet of water, gala nylon, or even empty water bottle and so on.

    “Everyone should cultivate the habit of putting dirt in the dustbin of the vehicle to avoid dropping them off, which may cause accident and litter the environment,’’ he said.

  • Akwa Ibom govt to commuters: avoid unregistered vehicles

    The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Resources has urged commuters to avoid boarding unregistered vehicles.

    The ministry’s Head of Compliance and Monitoring Unit, Mr. Maurice Edet, gave the warning, following rising cases of crime allegedly perpetrated by drivers of unregistered vehicles.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Uyo, the state capital, Edet said the ministry had been receiving complaints about hoodlums who often pretended to be drivers of such vehicles, only to rob their passengers, abduct or rape their female victims at gunpoint.

    He said: “Compliance and Monitoring is in charge of enforcement, compliance and monitoring activities as they relate to the Ministry of Transport and Petroleum Resources alone.

    “A directive was given not to pursue vehicles or tricycles. A communication network has been put in place. Our compliance officers and some police officers do go to different locations to check cars that are moving in and out to ensure that the cars and tricycles are registered.

    “People should stop standing by the roadsides to take taxis. Let them go to government-approved motor parks to board a taxi because this is one way fraudsters rob unsuspecting passengers. Do not enter a taxi or tricycle that has no registration number.

    “Looking at the arrangement, every tricycle rider has a number. They are registered to the appropriate union because it would be easy to identify any registered tricycle. With this, we are able to reduce the rate of criminality in the state, like armed robbery and kidnapping.”

     

  • BRT, others launch contactless card for commuters

    Over 500,000 daily commuters on the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system can now board  the firm’s buses using a contactless card payment.

    It is an enhancement, which makes the Lagos Connect card launched last November by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, usable on mass transit systems anywhere.

    Powered by Lagos State, LAMATA, Primero Transport Limited and Sterling Bank Plc, the enhanced e-payment system was launched in partnership with leading global payment and technology companies– Mikroelektronica, MasterCard, E-Purse Systems, Monet Plus, NIBSS, Epay-plus and SecureID in Lagos.

    It allows commuters on BRT buses to pay through their Lagos Connect contactless cards powered by Farepay that have either been pre-loaded or linked to a funded bank account.

    Largest of its scale in Africa, the Europay MasterCard and Visa (EMV)-compliant contactless payment system was designed to speed up commuting time by making payment easier and faster because it empowers commuters to just tap their cards on a console to board a BRT bus. It eliminates the high turnaround time associated with cash-based ticket purchases.

    The launch of the card puts Lagos ahead of some mega cities, including New York, in terms of implementation.

    Sterling Bank Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Abubakar Suleiman, said the bank was intent on achieving its primary role of financial intermediation through intervention in sectors that will create jobs and bring about economic growth for the country.

    He identified such sectors as health, education, agriculture, renewable energy and transport.

    Abubakar said the bank was proud to collaborate with Lagos State, LAMATA, Primero, E-Purse Systems and MasterCard to launch the card.

    He said: “This is another major step  in enhancing the commuting experience and social well-being of more than 80 per cent of Lagos residents who rely on public transport daily. Sterling Bank is committed to improving standards in a sector that is a crucial of driver economic growth and determinant of social well-being for both urban and rural residents. We are driven by the understanding that an efficient transport system facilitates trade, reduces poverty, creates economic and social opportunities while enhancing human development through greater mobility. Working with our partners, our vision over the next few years is to understand the peculiarities of various locations and replicate this kind of solution across the nation. Transformation of the transport value chain is an imperative for us at Sterling Bank.”

    He praised Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for creating the enabling environment with the launch of the card, which has made the enhancement of the system to EMV standard possible.

    Primero Transport Limited Chairman Chief Demola Seriki described the new payment system as symbolic.

    Seriki said: “It is indicative of efforts to eliminate the inefficiencies associated with public transportation in Lagos. A lot of work is being put into transforming public transportation into a world-class and sustainable industry which brings comfort to commuters and creates economic and social opportunities. What we are witnessing is a major stride towards providing efficient service that will encourage patronage of the Bus Rapid Transit by middle class commuters, thereby reducing the number of private vehicles on our roads.”

  • Commuters, others decry attacks on Lagos-Ibadan road

    Commuters, others decry attacks on Lagos-Ibadan road

    •Govt. urged to intensify patrol on ‘Long Bridge’

    Commuters and other people plying the popular Long Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have decried the spate of attacks on the road.

    At 8 a.m on Tuesday, a woman was robbed on the bridge when her vehicle broke down.

    Many other atrocities are committed daily on the bridge.

    It was learnt that on most nights, some people are sighted jumping through the median into the underground on the Long Bridge.

    Unlucky commuters, whose vehicles most times break down, become victims of robbers, who are suspected to have hideouts near the bridge.

    Frequent patrol by security agencies on the bridge has reduced.

    Commuters urged the Ogun State government to increase surveillance on the underground of the Long Bridge.

    A resident of Arepo on the Lagos-Ibadan Expresway, Femi Ajisafe, told The Nation yesterday urged the government to rid the area of criminals who had been terrorising commuters and others plying the area.

    He said: “I don’t know why government cannot raid the underground of the Long Bridge, which has become the den of criminals.

    “Late last year, I was attacked on the bridge by some knife-wielding robbers. They made away with my phones and other valuables. It was around 7 p.m, when my vehicle had a flat tyre. Before I could get down to change the tyre, four men had run towards me. They pounced on me and started beating me to give them all I had. I struggled with them and abandoned the car till the next day. They ransacked the car and removed its battery and stereo.”

    A Lagos lawyer, who resides at Magboro but spoke in confidence, urged the government to act quickly before more lives and valuables are lost on the bridge.

    He said: “We don’t have a listening government. I know several people have been attacked while some others have even died on the Long Bridge in the hands of hoodlums. The criminals hide under the bridge and attack people on the road.

    “Security forces should comb the underground of the bridge. I am sure a lot of things would be discovered. I am calling on Governor Ibikunle Amosun to come to the aid of commuters plying the road.”

     

  • Motorists, Commuters groan as fuel scarcity bites harder in Delta

    Motorists, Commuters groan as fuel scarcity bites harder in Delta

    Despite a suspension of the strike action embarked upon by the leadership of Petroleum and Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), the shortage of petroleum products have worsened in Asaba and environs with many petrol stations closed.

    The situation has led to a hike in transport fares by over 200% leaving many commuters stranded especially during rush hour.

    A civil servant, Mrs. Florence Okpa, lamented the high transport fares, saying that a journey which normally attracts N50.00 is now N100.00.

    According to her the hike in transport fares within Asaba metropolis started Tuesday.

    She said commuters are exposed to hardship during rush hour, adding that the few vehicles plying the roads cannot accommodate the huge number of workers

    Another resident, who preferred anonymity, claimed that a bus ride from Asaba to Onitsha which normally costs N150.00 has now risen to N700.00.

    The Nation gathered that many motorists have stopped driving their cars due to the high cost of purchasing petrol.

    The situation in Ogwashi-Uku is no different. A journey by commercial bus ride from Ogwashi-Uku to Asaba which usually costs N200.00 is now N400.00.

    In Agbor, Ika South L.G.A, and Asaba, Oshimili South  many petrol stations were under lock and key.

    Many commuters were stranded in most motor parks in Agbor and environs as commuters were forced to pay between N800 to N1000 from Agbor to Asaba as against the usual cost of N250-N300.

    At the Mariere Bus station in Agbor many commuters sustained injuries in a rush for space in the few available vehicles.

    Some commuters decried what they termed “uncontrollable greed by commercial bus drivers”, and urged the federal government to come to their aid.

    The angry commuters condemned the strike action embarked upon by PENGASSAN and the “greed by National Union of Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW)” that they accused of “taking undue advantage of both the strike and the festive period to enrich themselves at the expense of the common man.”

    Also the state owned Delta Line has increased transport fares with a bus ride from Ughelli to Asaba now N1000 as against the usual fare of N800.00 while  independent commercial buses costs N1500 for the same journey.

  • Commuters decry police activities in Ibadan

    Commuters decry police activities in Ibadan

    Residents of Ibadan, Oyo State capital, have called on the inspector general of Police to look into  the continued roadblocks and checkpoints mounted by policemen across the state.

    They deplored the many roadblocks, especially in Ibadan metropolis.

    They said Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Dan Bature, on his two-day official visit to the state, said it was illegal for any policeman to mount roadblocks or ask for vehicle particulars.

    A commercial driver, Dada Akinruntan, said it was disturbing that policemen were demanding money from motorists and motorcyclists.

    He expressed shock at the growing number of checkpoints and roadblocks, despite the AIG’s directive.

    “We are tired of this. Everywhere you go you will see many checkpoints, with policemen harassing road users, forcing them to give out money.

    “I understand that the AIG gave them clear directive that checkpoints and checking of vehicle particulars should be dismantled because they are illegal.

    “We were shocked that shortly after he gave the order, the number of checkpoints and roadblocks grew. We are calling on the AIG to intervene and let the people have comfort.”

    Another driver, who gave his name as Michael, condemned the action of the policemen and called on police authorities to dismantle roadblocks in the country.

    According to him, the AIG spoke the minds of the people when he said roadblocks and checkpoints were illegal.

    But speaking with The Nation, police spokesman Adekunle Ajisebutu said the AIG was misunderstood.

    The command spokesman said what the AIG meant was that Safer Highway Patrol had a specific duty to provide security on highways and never said there should be no checkpoints.

    Ajisebutu said: “The AIG only restated the position of the force that there should be no roadblocks across the country.

    “However, stop-and-search or vehicle patrol as a proactive measure to curb crime is legal and is allowed.

    “The AIG has been grossly misunderstood. What he meant was that safer highway patrol had a specific duty among others to provide security to commuters on highways.”

     

  • ‘Relief coming to Aba commuters’

    Traffic congestion in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State, will soon be a thing of the past, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has said, promising to build a flyover in the city.

    Ikpeazu, a special guest at the 2016 men’s fellowship programme of the Assemblies of God Church at Ukaegbu Road, Aba, assured the parishioners,  residents and motorists who are finding it difficult to access parts of the city that that his administration would do everything possible to alleviate their suffering.

    According to the governor, efforts were being intensified to reconstruct and commission a minimum of 50 roads in Aba, stressing that the administration would also build a flyover at the Osisioma Roundabout before 2019 in order to ease of the volume of traffic at that junction which serves as a major entrance and exit route from the commercial town.

    Ikpeazu who said he was touched by the pains and hardship Abia and visitors to Aba pass through accessing the commercial town from neighbouring Akwa Ibom, Cross River and other parts of West Africa who comes through Akwa Ibom to Aba to buy goods and services using the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Highway, promised that his government will construct a 7.5km alternative access road as soon as the dry season sets in later in the year and stressed that Abia State will continue with the ongoing negotiation with the federal Government on how to fix the dilapidated and deplorable Aba-Ikot Ekpene highway with the aim to end the hardship people undergo using the expressway.

    The governor bemoaned the court cases he was facing as a distraction to his administration, reiterating his commitment to bringing good governance and democratic dividends to the people of the state.

    He urged the church and Abians to continue in their prayers for the success of his administration and promised that he will continue to stand as a vendor of hope for the common man through rendering of quality service even as he thanked the church for honoring him.

    In an address read by Rev Okechukwu Ulu, on behalf of the Aba North district Men’s Ministries of Assemblies of God Church, the fellowship thanked the governor for his untiring efforts in what he described as “revolutionising” the state particularly in the area of road construction in Aba.

    “Some abandoned and impassable roads have become a delight to behold. Ukaegbu road where this programme is holding is an example. This is in spite of the many distractions on your way. We know that tough times never last, but tough people do,” Ulu pointed out.

    The Superintendent for Aba North district of the church, Rev P.K Emeaba, assured the Governor that the church’s support for him to overcome the distractions he (Ikpeazu) is facing at the moment and stated that they have the confidence that the governor would be executing more projects for the people of the state if he wasn’t being distracted.

    ”The God who enthroned you as governor is still on the throne, so your tenure as governor of Abia State will not be cut short. The saints are praying for you and we know that wherever God has an investment, His eyes are there. Our Governor, you are God’s investment, so God is watching over you. Heaven cannot and will not abandon his own. I want you to rest in the assurance that you’re a heavenly property, you’re God’s representative and Heavenly ambassador, so heaven will not abandon you,” Emeaba stated

    It will be recalled that Ukaegbu Road is among the four that the governor flagged off on his first day at work after his swearing in ceremony on the 29th of May 2016. The reconstruction was completed last year alongside Umuola and Ehere roads, all in the Ogbor Hill area of Aba.

    Governor Ikpeazu has so far commissioned 17 of 28 roads started by his administration at Aba since he took over as governor of the state.