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 Re: بصات بابا قربة للخرطوم: 2400 .. أسوة بأسطول الشركة فى أبوجا و التجربة النيجيرية (Re: اسعد الريفى)
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Here Comes The Buses
Date 2006/9/18 10:31:53 | Topic: Business Section
Tony Orilade/Abuja
By 1 October 2006, commercial motorcyclists, popularly called okada, will cease to operate within the Abuja metropolis. This is part of the reform agenda in the transport sector by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir el-Rufai. And since nature itself abhors vacuum, luxury buses have been planned to replace the okada. The buses will be plying designated routes in the metropolis and major roads leading to the suburbs.
Already, 22 of the buses have been plying some of the routes since Monday last week, on test-run basis. The buses were acquired from MCR of Cairo, manufacturers of Mercedes Benz, rated to be the third best of such manufacturers in the world. Dr. A.O. Odunmbaku-Wilson, Secretary of the Transportation Secretariat, Federal Capital Development Authority, told this magazine last week that the idea to ban okada operators within the metropolis was to make Abuja truly a federal capital city. ?There is no going back on the decision to ban okada in Abuja. They just have to go. Go to the hospitals, then you will appreciate our decision. Besides, okada is being used to perpetrate armed robbery,? he explained.
If Odunmbaku-Wilson would be believed, the decision to ban the operators went down well with them after the FCT authorities was able to convince them during a discussion. ?The chairman of okada operators in FCT was in my office for a meeting yesterday (Tuesday). I am glad to tell you that they are in total support of what we are doing. The chairman reasoned with us that Abuja should be a modern city where decent means of transportation should be in place. They are very cooperative,? he explained.
It was gathered that some of the okada operators, who are graduates of tertiary institutions, have been shortlisted to be drivers by operators of the buses. These operators, who are providing 150 buses each, include Sunny Global Motors, Abuja Urban Mass Transit Company and National Unity Transport Limited. Competence, skills and knowledge of the city, among other requirements, will be expected of employees of the three bus operators. As early as 6.30 a.m. last Monday, the buses, which took strategic positions at Suleja, Gwagwalada, Mararaba and Kubwa, all headed towards the Eagle Square car park at the National Secretariat, Maitama, Abuja.
This magazine observed that the operational method of the buses differs from that of the conventional buses which do not depart until they are filled up. ?There will be arrival and departure time at every bus stop. All you need to know is when a bus will take off and when you have to get to the bus stop to meet up with it,? Odunmbaku-Wilson emphasized. Mrs. Tinandy Odia, a school teacher, welcomed el-Rufai?s reform in the transport sector. ?The buses are very comfortable, yet affordable,? she said. Gwagwalada to Federal Secretariat, which ordinarily costs between N200 and N250 in the old conventional buses, now goes for only N70.00 in the new luxury buses. Suleja to Federal Secretariat, which attracts N150.00, now costs N50.00.
At peak periods, commuters pay N100 from Masaka-Mararaba to Federal Secretariat in the old buses. Now, they will pay only N50.00 in the new arrangement.
The new fares would be sustained, according to Odunmbaku-Wilson. ?All over the world, transportation is a social service. It is hard to break even successfully if you want to operate a decent transport system. But I can?t charge N250.00 because workers? wages can?t support it. We are not out to make profit,? he said. This magazine gathered that N330 million went into the acquisition of the 22 buses currently on test-run.
The FCDA Transport Committee secretary confirmed that the money was released by the Presidency. Asked if the amount was not too much on the high side, he defended that there was competitive bidding. ?We got the lowest price from MVC. Anamco?s bid was about N8 million more than what we have paid in Cairo. In Brazil, it is N7 million more than what we have paid. A group came from the Presidency to say that they can get it from Iran. All the prices were looked into and MCV?s price was the most competitive,?? he explained.
Besides, he said, the secretariat would be sending six of their engineers and technicians to Cairo this weekend for training, while MCV personnel will also be visiting to train some engineering staff of the secretariat. The buses are designed to use computer analyser (diagnosis) to detect any fault in any part of the vehicle. This, according to Odunmbaku-Wilson, would make it easier for maintenance, which has always been the bane of the nation?s transport system. 1 October 2006, Nigeria?s independence anniversary, is set aside to be a turning point in transport administration in the FCT, as President Olusegun Obasanjo launches the buses at Eagle Square.
This article comes from The NEWS
http://www.thenewsng.com
The URL for this story is:
http://www.thenewsng.com/article.php?storyid=1522
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اسعد الريفى
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست