The Transport Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA said it will introduce feeder bus routes and also commence the much-awaited Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, on Monday, June 3, 2013. How true are these promises?
By Chris Onokpegu
January 14, 2013, was the first date chosen by the Transport Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA to commence the implementation of a new transport policy with the introduction of feeder routes operation by mini buses.
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| These buses will stop operations from June 3, 2013 |
The policy started but people were against including the passengers who ought to benefit positively from the exercise. There were protests, bon-fire on the Nyanya-Kugbo on daily basis. It took the intervention of the minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed for the situation to be brought under control hence the policy was stopped on the January 16, 2013.
A committee was set up by the minister with the inclusion of the stakeholders. After weeks of deliberations, the committee recommended Monday, June 3, 2013, as the take-off date for the new transport policy.
Incidentally, all those who were against the policy have thrown their weights behind the policy at the stakeholders town hall press briefing in Abuja last week. Those present were the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; Trade Union Congress, TUC; National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Self-Employed Commercial Drivers Association of Nigeria, SECDA; Civil society, amongst others, all said they are supporting the recommencement of the new transport policy in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Representative of the FCT NLC, Comrade Amaechi said they are in support of the new transport policy. He noted that when the policy was first introduced, they were not carried along and because the policy affected most of their members, they have no choice but to kick against it.
He however urged the FCT Administration to make more buses readily available. “We don’t want our member to be stranded, that is why we were against it. We are in support of the policy,” he assured.
NURTW representative, Suleiman Abdulkadir Musa said they now understand the policy hence they are throwing their weight behind it. “We are 100% in support. Although, the policy may affect our members, we know in the long run, it will benefit us and the residents of the FCT. We will continue to sensitise our members.”
The chairmen of TUC, Comrade Aliyu Musa wants immediate implementation of the policy. He said there were skirmishes about the policy which led to protest. He claimed that they were against the policy until they discovered that all the stakeholders were aware of the initial programme.
Musa said, “The congress is totally in support of the policy because the roads have to be sanitized. We need to sanitise our road and this is the only way we can do it.”
On the other hand, RTEAN president, Dr. Abubakar Sadiq said they were initially against the policy because their members were not fully aware. He claimed that the press conference is timely and will bridge the communication gap and also create synergy between Public/Private Partnership, PPP.
He noted that the policy if properly implemented will make transport affordable and comfortable; reduce effect of environmental pollution via emission; ensure safety of passengers; reduce traffic congestion and accidents, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the FCT Transport Secretary, Engr Jonathan Ivoke says in line with the transportation policy, road traffic regulation and in consultation with stakeholders, the mini buses will operate on specified feeder routes within the FCT. The buses according to him will operate on Mombasa-Michael Okpara-Olusegun Obasanjo-MKO Abiola-Area One; Area One-Gudu-Apo Mechanic Village; Area One-Cement Market-Apo Mechanical Village, and Jabi-Mbora-Kaura-Gudu Market.
Other routes include Jabi-Mbora-Sun City-Apo Mechanic Village, Jabi-Mbora-Lugbe, Gwarinpa-Life Camp entrance - Ist Gate, Bwari Town-Dutse Alhaji-Expressway (ONEX), Kubwa 2nd Gate-1st Gate and Mpape-Murtala/ Mohammed Expressway junction.
High capacity bus will also not be allowed to operate beyond the Nyanya, Kubwa and other satellite towns.
There are also plans by the FCTA to stop unlicensed commercial cab and buses within the city. To allay fears of passengers of insufficient buses, the transport secretary said they have enough vehicles on ground. He revealed that biometric data capturing of all commercial drivers that will operate public transport in the territory have already commenced and reached advanced stage.
PAT chairman, Shugaba Yar’Adua claimed that they are in the process of completing the biometric data capturing of his members. According to him, 4,200 drivers have already been captured. He said apart from the stickers given to their drivers, they also issued them Identity cards for easy identification.
He said with what they have on ground, one can easily trace any driver found wanting. “If you forget any of your items in any of our vehicles, you can easily trace it with either the driver’s identity card or the sticker number. Whenever you board a cab, you are free to demand for the identity of the driver.”
Ivoke claimed that the era of one-chance is gone where people are robbed of their belongings while others are used for rituals. He claimed that with the new transportation policy, everything will be sanitised.
Newsworld revealed that for anyone to be registered and allowed to operate the condition of the vehicle must be in good shape and it must be painted to the colour to the category it belongs. The person must also be of good character and in addition, present a guarantor in case of any eventuality.
Ivoke further disclosed that they have acquired 400 out of the 1,000 cars for the new policy. He said they will be subsidised and only those that are registered will benefit from the scheme. He said the secretariat is partnering with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, ADB in the sponsorship of the project while arrangements have been concluded to secure one-third of the funds needed to commence the project from the ministry of finance.
Meanwhile, tricycle, popularly known as the Keke NAPEP operation has been restricted to Gwarinpa, Life Camp and Kado Estates including all large settlements and estates.
An Abuja resident, Azuka Dennis said it is disheartening to hear that, a place like the FCT is struggling to have a BRT routes in the territory to ease flow of traffic. “A modern capital city like Abuja is supposed to have appropriate planning. The introduction of the bus routes and the new transport policy to be introduced is what is needed in the FCT. We need to start from somewhere to move this country forward. It is not by mere words, but action. It takes nothing to put these policies in place.”
Will the new date, Monday, June 3, 2013, for the new transport policy of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA come to past, especially the introduction of the much-awaited Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, only time will tell.
