MC Oluomo slashes fares, says Lagos drivers won’t join strike

The Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee has said that its members will not join the nationwide protest planned by organised labour groups.

This was disclosed on Tuesday by the LSPG Chairman, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, at a meeting with transport union leaders and operators.

He said, “We, the state executives and the entire members of Lagos State Parks and Garages met today in Lagos to review the situation in the country, particularly in Lagos, following the oil subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

“After much deliberations and review, we discussed the high cost of food, transport fares and other areas of public interest, in particular, the plan by the organised Labour unions i.e. the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to call workers out on strike action.

“After a careful discussion, we concluded that we will not be part of any strike or protest rally being planned to draw the Federal Government’s attention to the issue being debated in the country.

“All transport family and members will be at work to convey people to their various destinations without problem because Lagos State Government has announced some interventions in the sector.”

Akinsanya at the meeting, also announced relief measures for commercial bus drivers and passengers to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

The LSPG boss said the tickets sold to drivers at parks for N800 would now be N600 and all booking fees would be reduced by 25 per cent.

For passengers, Akinsanya said transport fares would be reduced from N500 to N300 on some routes while those paying N200 fare would pay N150 in other places.

He added that commercial motorcycles and tricycle operators would get a 25 per cent reduction on the tickets bought from the union.

Akinsanya announced a task force team that would monitor the implementation of the directives while also warning various parks and garages executives to ensure compliance, stating that sanctions would be meted on defaulters.

The task force would be led by all members of state executives, parks’ chairmen and selected union leaders.

Oluomo said that the agency would do all it could not to inconvenience the masses.

He said the directive was a follow-up to the announcement of Governor Sanwo-Olu on bus fares reduction.

“Lagos State Government has provided a conducive atmosphere for our operations. There is, therefore, no reason for us to join any strike that may threaten the peace of the state. The various palliative measures taken by the state government especially the 50 per cent reduction of government public transport and a downward review on our Yellow Buses fares will also, go a long way in cushioning the effect of the subsidy removal.

“We have also embarked on internal measures like downward reviews of Lagos State Government and union tickets. With this, there will be a reduction in transport fares by commercial drivers,” Akinsanya said.