From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The State secretary, National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW,) Kaduna State Council, Comrade Bature Yusuf Suleiman has claimed ignorance of the announced 50 per cent slash for interstate transport fare for Nigerians traveling during the yuletide from Thursday, December 21, 2023 to January 4, 2024.
He asserted to this while as speaking to the media in Kaduna yesterday.
According to him there is no
circular has been released from any angle to back up such announcement as such business continues as usual.
“I just first heard it now from you now as a press man because my office have not been contacted.”
“There’s no written document, no agreement or MOU informing me, so I am not really aware of it”, he said
However, he promised to comply with any instruction from the government if it is officially made, saying that he would be glad to have the citizens enjoy such benefit from the government as it is their right.
He adds: “We have done it before in Kaduna State during the former governor, El-Rufai, if the people of Kaduna State will remember.
“Everybody enjoyed it, we went on air announcing that we have free buses from this location to this location, we advertised it for people to know.
“Perhaps the plans for it is still in progress and if it comes, we will announce it to the people as it is their right.”
Also speaking on the issue of inflation, the State Secretary advised that Nigerians should be patient and diligent in their works, saying :”It is to be patient, you can’t do anything more than that.
We pray to God for the government to succeed but we are also praying because we are Nigerians and suffer most than any other person because this is our way of livelihood which is transportation and you have to buy fuel and go.”
“So any way it touches, you will say I bought something and it is cost, transportation caused it but we also buy fuel and we are running at a loss.”
Meanwhile, at the parks, the transport fare remains unchanged till further notice.
For one of the managers of the Niger State Transportation Authority, who pleaded anonymity, said that they only received a letter asking them not to increase the transport fares.
On his part, a passenger at the Lagos Garage Mondo Ike Richard said to him the reductions announced by the presidency is a rues
Another passenger, Aduke Kayode said she never takes such the announcement seriously, as she has completed arrangements for her journey to Lagos.
