Motoring
High prospect for AfDB’s $50m Abuja BRT facility
LAGOS – The prospect of a $50 million facility from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to finance the proposed Abuja Bus Rapid Transportation (BRT) system is brightening as the bank’s delegation is expected in Abuja in the first quarter of 2014 for another round of due diligence.
The visit is the outcome of the initial assessment conducted last November, and the second in the collaboration between the bank and the FCTA to evolve a modern mass transit system for the fast developing Federal Capital Territory.
Donald Kaberuka, the AfDB chairman told BusinessDay of the commitment of the bank, stating that the Abuja BRT project is one of the continent’s priorities.
“Yes, it is on the way and it is a project which I am very very interested in. If the team did not come, maybe it is some logistics issues. But we work with the government on that because it tourism could be one of the projects which could be interesting to Africa”.
He explained that the bank together with the FCTA will monitor the project when it finally comes on stream.
“Everything that we are doing is in collaboration with government and Nigerian financial institutions because this project is in Nigeria and for the Nigerian people”.
“So we will work very closely with them because it was FCTA’s idea. As the city of Abuja grows, there will be need for a more modern mass transit system because in modern cities, you cannot simply depend on cars. So I salute what they are trying to do”.
Wilson Unogwu, the director of BRT, FCT Transport Secretariat, told BusinessDay that the team when it comes, will look at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would be signed with the contiguous states and also the compensation plan for people that will be affected along the BRT corridor.
“The FCT has qualified for the clean technology from the African Development Bank (AfDB) after a team from the bank’s headquarters had done a due diligence study”.BRT-BUS
“Having qualified for the loan from the bank, there are other processes that we ought to fulfill such as having a proper resettlement plan for those along the BRT corridor after which we would sign Memorandum of
Understanding with the contiguous states that the BRT passes through like the Nassarawa State”.
Jonathan Ivoke, the transport secretary, FCT, prior to the November visit had told BusinessDay that the secretariat had accessed $960, 000 from the Clean Technology Fund following the application in 2010.
“So far we had accessed the sum of $960 000 which was given to us to enable us conduct some studies that are fundamental and would enable us gain the full access to the Clean Technology Fund. That is the first procedure in accessing the fund and we had set up a project office in line with the steps they had outlaid”.
– BUSINESS DAY
Motoring
FCTA Pulls Plugs On Taxi Rank, Terminal Services Contracts
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has ended contracts with taxi rank and terminal operators due to their failure to meet engagement terms and conditions.
Mr. Ubokutom Nyah, the Mandate Secretary of the Transportation Secretariat, FCTA, made this announcement during a meeting with managers of these terminals and taxi ranks in Abuja.
Nyah clarified that due to the operators’ failure to fulfill their engagement terms, the FCTA had to terminate their contracts.
He instructed them to transfer control of the ranks to the Administration within three months, starting from Nov. 21.
He lamented the presence of unauthorized motor parks in the city and assured the readiness of the Administration to establish proper taxi ranks and terminals in the capital.
He revealed that personally visiting the city’s taxi ranks, terminals, and unauthorized motor parks gave him direct insight into the poor condition of these facilities.
He emphasized that as the federal capital city, Abuja deserves better, highlighting that the poor condition of these facilities attracts various criminal elements.
He said “We must rid Abuja of all these. I have gone round the taxi ranks, and of all the places I visited, not one is worthy to be called even a village motor park.”
The Mandate Secretary stressed that the intention wasn’t punitive; rather, it aimed to revamp the sector, introduce new engagement terms, and modernize taxi ranks and terminals in the federal capital.
He also highlighted the plan to increase the number of terminals and ranks where necessary, which would positively impact the administration’s revenue.
He emphasized that this measure was part of a broader effort to eliminate illegal motor parks in Abuja and curb the associated criminal activities.
In response, Mr. Adebisi Lawal, the Operator of Jahi Taxi Rank, praised the administration’s initiative to modernize the taxi ranks and terminals.
Lawal urged the administration to prioritize current operators’ involvement in the selection of new developers for the modernization of the taxi ranks and terminals.
Motoring
Power Show Sees Soldiers Batter LASTMA Officer
It was a show of power at the Ojota area of Lagos on Monday as soldiers pummeled an officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA).
Eyewitness accounts claim that the ugly scene played out around 8am, and saw about eight soldiers pounce on the yet to identified LASTMA official, while his colleagues took to their heels.
The video of the melodrama has gone viral, where the LASTMA official was appealing to the soldiers, who appeared bent on ‘teaching him a lesson’.
This onslaught comes on the back of a reported assault of a soldier at the same location by LASTMA officials last week.
It would appear that what played out today was the army asserting its authority and defending their khaki as the armed soldiers carried out what looked like a revenge mission.
Eyewitnesses further averred that the victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, after the soldiers left the scene.
It was gathered that the authorities at LASTMA has reported the incident to the military authorities who are said to be looking into the matter.
Meanwhile many members of the public are rejoicing that the soldiers have taught the crude LASTMA official that power is stronger than power, for all their atrocities against motorists on Lagos roads.
Motoring
Intra-City Fares Skyrocket By 98% Month-On-Month – NBS
The impact of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has seen the pump prices of the product skyrocket with a corresponding increase in the cost commercial transportation in Nigeria.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), intra-city bus transportation fares across Nigerian cities, measured between May and June 2023, increased from N649.59 to N1,285.41 in June 2023.
This translates to 98 percent growth or N635.82 within the month in view.
The NBS made the data available in its Transport Fare Watch report for June 2023.
In the report, the NBS also shared the breakdown of bus journeys within the cities per drop for constant routes; bus journey intercity (state route); charges per person, amongst others.
On a year-on-year basis, the report has it that bus fares rose by 120.63 percent from N582.61 paid by commuters in June 2022.
The average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop rose to N5,686.49 in June 2023 compared to N4,002.16 in May 2023 indicating an increase of 42.09 percent, month-on-month.
The report read, “The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased by 97.88 per cent from N649.59 in May 2023 to N1,285.41 in June 2023.
On a year-on-year basis, it rose by 120.63 per cent from N582.61 in June 2022.
“In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop rose to N5,686.49 in June 2023, indicating an increase of 42.09 on a month-on-month basis compared to N4,002.16 in May 2023.
“On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 55.25 per cent from N3,662.87 in June 2022.”
Biztellers reported that the twin forces of forex pressure and increasing price of Brent in the global market would likely see the pump prices of petrol, increased again in no distant time in Nigeria.