Fuel Subsidy: Lagos Rolls Out Measures To Ease Burden On Citizens

The Lagos State Government has rolled out relief measures to cushion the current situation being faced by residents as a result of fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

The State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who spoke to the Government House Correspondents in Ikeja announced a 50 per cent fare reduction across the State-owned public transportation services, effective Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023.

According to the Governor, commuters using BRT buses and other public transport means operated by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) will enjoy the fare cut.

Reducing the cost

The Governor said that operators in the informal transport sector (commercial drivers) would be embarking on a similar move towards reducing the cost of transportation, noting that commercial operators in Lagos had agreed to cut their fares by 25 per cent.

Sanwo-Olu said the palliative measures would be sustained pending the outcome of the Federal Government’s decision on a number of relief measures it is planning for citizens to reduce the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

Lagos, the Governor said, has procured and taken delivery of new high-capacity buses to raise the fleet of vehicles conveying civil servants from their homes to office and back. He said the buses would be deployed on Wednesday, while unutilised buses in the public fleet would be deployed to complement the public transport operation.

“In the course of State Security Council meeting today, we reviewed the current economic situation that we have in the country, especially as it affects our residents in Lagos. We have had extensive consultations with all the stakeholders in our transport sector, both formal and informal. We have come to the conclusion which both the State Government and the stakeholders will be supporting. 
 
“Immediately from Wednesday, all public transport services under the control of LAMATA will be plying all routes across Lagos at 50 per cent fare rebate of the current rate. Route configuration and new fare validation are currently being done ahead of the kick-off of the palliative measures. Commercial operators in informal transport services will be rolling out their fare reduction plan, which is about 25 per cent. They are meeting with themselves on the modality as we speak.
 
“We have also concluded the arrangement to increase the fleet of our staff buses conveying workers to their offices and homes. We have procured more buses to achieve this objective and the vehicle are being supplied already. We are waiting to get the required number before deploying the vehicles to various arms in the public service. Extra buses will be deployed back to public transport system to complement the services.”

Distribute food items

Sanwo-Olu further explained that plans had been concluded with various stakeholders to distribute food items to vulnerable people in the State.

The intervention, he said, would be done through effective distribution channels of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, Local Government authorities, Community Development Associations (CDAs), Community Development Councils (CDCs), churches, mosques and traditional organisations.

The move, Sanwo-Olu said, were the immediate priorities of the government to cushion the impact of the oil subsidy removal and stabilise the conditions of ordinary citizens.

Lateefah Ibrahim