The Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria has released a new price list for transport fares to 12 states based on the 50 per cent transport palliative provided by the Federal Government.
RTEAN is among the five transport unions/companies partnering with the Federal Government in the transport palliative scheme.
Aside from RTEAN, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Association of Luxurious Bus Owners of Nigeria, Good is Good Motors, and the National Association of Road Transport Owners, also signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government to ease the transportation burden of Nigerians willing to travel between December 24, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
Barely 72 hours after the Federal Government through the Ministry of Transportation commenced the transport palliative to support Nigerians during the Yuletide, GIGM and the RTEAN seem to be the ones working.
The slash is targeted at cushioning high transport costs during the Yuletide.
The government said it would pay 50 per cent of the transport fare of the travellers, as it commenced free rail transportation for citizens on December 20, 2024.
A list confirmed by the National General Secretary of the RTEAN, Yusuf Ibrahim, showed that Abuja to either Asaba or Akwa would now cost N17,500, while Abuja to Abakaliki or Dutse would cost N12,500 and N7,500 respectively.
The list further showed that Lagos to Benin costs N7,500; Lagos to Onitsha, Katsina, or Lafia costs 15,000; Lagos to Bauchi or Jigawa costs N12,500. Lagos to Kebbi or Yola in Adamawa costs 20,000.
The RTEAN secretary said the areas listed were some of the routes the government had apportioned to the union.
He said the union has been executing the transport palliative in accordance with the transport ministry’s dictates.
Ibrahim said, “If you visit any of the designated packs, you will find out that our buses are either present or have left for their state of destination.
“Just as seen on that list, those are parts of the routes given to us and there are many buses we have been ordered to load daily. In some states, we have nine buses, some 12 buses. Once we get to that quota, other persons will board the vehicles at normal prices.
“Left to us we would be interested to ply the entire country but we can only act in accordance to their dictates.”
Our correspondent visited the Oshodi perk in Lagos and Kuto garage in Ogun, and observed that only the GIGM buses were seen loading in Lagos under the 50 per cent transport palliative scheme. All other buses were charging their usual 100 per cent fare prices.
When contacted, the Chief Executive Officer of GIGM, Enahoro Okhae, told our correspondent that the scheme was running as agreed with the government.
“We have started and you will find our buses at the Oshodi terminal and our passengers can also book their tickets online.”
All efforts to speak with other unions about their involvement in the exercise were fruitless despite repeated calls and text messages.
Presidents of the NURTW and ALBON, Musiliu Akinsanya, and Nonso Ubajaka, respectively ignored calls and text messages of enquiries.