Tag Archives: Danfo

Guardian: Saying bye to the Danfo in Lagos.

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The desire to give Lagos a world-class transportation system apparently informed the recent disclosure by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode that he intends to remove the yellow mini-buses popularly called Danfo from the city’s roads by the end of the year. The Danfo experience in Lagos is a cocktail of sadness and joy. But there is no denying that the city deserves better and the government’s plan is in order.

Daily, commuters go through hell in the hands of miscreant Danfo drivers and their assistants who molest, assault and even rob at will. Ambode’s move should therefore be encouraged if only to curb hooliganism and touting, as well as sanitise intra-city transportation.

Although, Danfo has, over the years, become an integral part of Lagos city transport, phasing them out would create a more decent environment befitting of a modern city. But apart from the mini-buses, the menace of tricycles and motorcyclists should, at the same time, be looked into with a view to phasing them out too.

He explained the significance of the infrastructural projects his administration had been executing in strategic sectors of Lagos economy, noting that they were directed at up-scaling the status of the state.

According to him, the establishment of massive lay-bys, rehabilitation of inner-city roads and construction of flyovers in different parts of the state were designed to end the challenges of urbanisation.

He said the main objective of his administration is to make Lagos the third largest economy in Africa from the current fifth position. To realise this prime goal, he insisted that the yellow buses would be removed for a more efficient and well-structured world-class mass transportation system that would facilitate movement.

He decried the present connectivity mode in the state, which he said is not acceptable and befitting for a modern city of Lagos’ status. The solution, he stressed, is to banish yellow buses this year.

There is no doubt that for decades, Lagos has been battling with a chaotic transport system in which all manners of rickety vehicles operate. There are few cities in the world where such chaos exists as it does in Lagos.

But the state government wants to turn things around by modernising the transportation system and infrastructure. The bus-stops are being modernised. Roads are widened, among others. These are commendable efforts that should be stepped up.

From the colonial times up to the 60s, train services operated efficiently and movement was hassle-free in Lagos due to low population. But the situation has been chaotic since the 70s, when mini-lorries popularly called Bolekeja and Molue dominated intra-city transportation amid high influx of people into the city. Efforts to improve the situation have been on but hardly enough to catch up with an ever growing population.

Interestingly, while the old rickety Bolekeja has totally been phased out, Molue is also on the verge of extinction, having been banned from commuting into Lagos Island.

Over the time, the Lagos Municipal transport, which operated in the 70s and 80s, has been replaced with the Bus Rapid Transfer System with modern, clean buses which started in 2007.

The train service that practically came to a stop for some time is being revived. The Lagos Monorail track lines are being constructed in order to integrate train services the overall city’s overall mode of transport. The situation will definitely change when these plans are accomplished.

The focus at the moment is on the infrastructure. The infrastructure facilities in Lagos need up-grading given the teeming population in the city. Hopefully, the plan is part of the Lagos Master Plan to make for integrated urban re-development framework.

Ambode is working very hard. But a lot still needs to be done. The endemic traffic gridlock in Lagos shows the fundamental defects inherent in the city’s transportation system due to planlessness. Dilapidated inner city roads in particular. Lack of effective mass transit system in form of rail and water transport has contributed to making movement in Lagos a nightmare.

At the moment, some private operators are involved in water transportation with rickety and sub-standard boats that expose users to risk. That explains the frequent accidents on Lagos waterways. The state government should therefore integrate water transportation into its overall transport plan and private investors should be encouraged to come in.

Lagos is the fastest growing city in Africa with a growth spurt of 77 people per hour. That calls for long term planning which, happily, the current leadership seems to appreciate.

 

Source: Guardian

Over 3,000 bus conductors to wear uniforms, badges in Lagos – Official

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Israel Adeshola, the National President of Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria, BCAN, says that as from March it is mandatory for bus conductors in Lagos State to wear uniforms, name tags and badges.

Mr. Adeshola, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, said that the Lagos State government has approved wearing of uniforms and badges.

He said that the use of badges and wearing of uniforms by over 3,000 members got the approval of the government on Monday.

“We are in collaboration with Lagos State government on the issue of badges and uniforms for commercial conductors, which was finalised on Monday.

“This is because we don’t want to start without the government’s approval. So by first week of March we will roll them out,” he said.

Adeshola explained that the introduction of uniforms, name tags and badges had become necessary to enforce decorum and ensure safety of duly registered members and members of the public.

According to him, with the vital information on the badge, any conductor involved in crime can easily be identified and apprehended.

The national president explained that the novel idea was being experimented in Lagos State before other states can take a cue.

 

Source: NAN

Here is why Governor Ambode insists ‘Danfos’ must go.

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Following the announcement that the Lagos State Government led by Akinwunmi Ambode plan to banish the yellow commercial buses ‘danfo’ on major Lagos roads, the news was welcomed with mixed reactions by residents.

While a myriad of Mainlanders appreciated the new move by the government, some others were of the opinion that the ban would create unemployment and further lead to various forms of crime perpetrated by the persons who lose their jobs in the process.

Clearing the air on the need to phase out the danfo buses in metropolitan Lagos, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who spoke through the Special Adviser on Communities and Communications, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan said the “plan to remove danfo buses from the major roads in Lagos is a project in line with creating the Mega city we all desire. The first information that made the news was a well-thought plan of seven months effort by researchers of the government.”

The Special Adviser who stressed the need to create an effective transport system continued that “the whole idea of taking danfo away from metropolitan Lagos is to enable more BRT buses become economically viable. The new plan is to create a transport system that carries the greatest number of people with the least number of buses as a solution to the congestion that is plaguing all of us on Lagos roads. Putting the BRT buses in that line, you find out that for every BRT bus, you get three danfo commuters in one.”

Speaking on the factors responsible for phasing out danfo buses on major Lagos roads, Hon. Bamigbetan said “the factors responsible for the new shift involves the demographic, aesthetics and economic reasons to morph Lagos into the Mega city of our dreams.”

“The target is, we need 5000 mass transit buses to be able to effectively man our street. The more the buses come into town, the more it is important to create a policy environment for them to be sustained because it costs a lot of money in terms of investment and those who are investing in the business need to be assured of their return on investment at the shortest period of time which means that we must reduce the competition that they currently have,” he added.

On the beatification factor, Hon. Bamigbetan said “with the current beatification and environmental projects going on in Lagos, we will get to a stage where you won’t find a litter on your streets in another five months. We need to also blend it with a transport system that is also clean and convenient for Lagosians.”

“People often ask that why did we chose the colour yellow for the buses. This is because Lagos is a coastal city and when you look from the sky, what you see is blue. Lagos is a white and blue city and there is something shrinking about yellow. The psychology to yellow is different to blue. The while idea is to have a colour that blends into the feel of the state and a functional transport system that can attract investors and tourists alike,” he added.

Commenting on the plan to address the unemployment that will be caused by ban, Hon. Bamigbetan said “conductors that are interested will be trained and retrained to work as tickers while the bus drivers will be introduced into the scheme as drivers who are gainfully employed.”

He added that “there are towns in Lagos where the danfo buses will be active due to the developmental projects embarked upon by the government in areas such as Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry and Abule Egba; and the migration to the localities in Lagos State, we expect that the danfos will move into those areas and leave the main metropolitan Lagos for the BRT buses.”

You would recall that Ambode during his remarks at the 14th Annual Lecture of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) held at Muson Centre, said “commercial buses will make way for a more efficient, well-structured and world class mass transportation system that would facilitate ease of movement within the city.”

Danfo ban: Don’t panic, Lagos NURTW tells members

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The National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos Chapter, on Tuesday advised its members not to panic over the proposed ban on operations of yellow commercial buses.

The state Chairman of the union, Mr. Tajudeen Agbede, on Tuesday said that the union was discussing the proposed ban with the government, adding that the union was ready to cooperate with the state government on its mega city project.

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had on February 6 announced a plan to stop operations of yellow commercial buses popularly known as ‘danfo’ for a more efficient, well-structured and world-class mass transport system.

Ambode said that the well-structured transport system would ease movement within the state and make Lagos cleaner without burdening the people in terms of taxes.

He said, “We are still discussing with the government on the proposed ban on yellow buses, but we believe it is going to yield a positive result.

“The union is ready to comply with the conditions of making the state a mega city.

“We are ready to change the colour of our buses and also comply with the directive to follow the service lanes.”

According to him, the union members are also ready to refurbish their vehicles to attain mega city standards.

Danfo operation will end in 2017 – Governor Ambode

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The Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Amnode, has declared that before 2017 wrap up, he would have banished yellow-commercial buses operation in the state completely, though he did not give detail exact part of the year he would carried out his plan.

Ambode, spoke while delivering speech at  14th annual lecture of  Centre for Value and Leadership held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria,  said that connectivity was a critical element for a mega city to work, which requires having mass transit system to move people from one point to another.

In his lecture, the governor said Lagos represented an example of a mega city with huge infrastructural gap, population growth, among others, adding that, the issues lying at the heart of urban policy making in any city, old or new, developed or developing included infrastructure, employment, population growth, economic sustainability and environmental viability.

According to him,  there is classic urban challenges of overcrowding, unplanned and chaotic growth, insufficient provision of municipal services, from policing to healthcare to education to electricity and sewage, all of which are top of the agenda in many African cities.

“There is perhaps no better classic example of where these challenges of rapid urbanization come to life than in Lagos”.

He said: “It is estimated that 86 immigrants enter Lagos every hour –the highest in any city in the world – and they have no plans to leave.  This is because Lagos has remained over time and most especially in the last decade, the most attractive destination for those who want to realise and live their Nigerian dream. This ever increasing population of the state however means that we have to be “on our toes” to provide facilities for this more than 23 million population”.

#Pausibility: Ambode and The Burden of Continuity by Adebayo Coker.

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Akinwumi-Ambode-350x253

Two Sundays ago, Mr Jimi Disu, the host of The Discourse With Jimi Disu, dedicated the whole of his one hour phone-in radio programme to discussing the possible solutions to the problems Lagos State is seemingly faced with in recent times. It is expected that some people will see such an eye-opening discourse as a threat to their political hegemony, but I found it incredulous that someone will resort to name calling in the guise of doing a rejoinder to the many elicitations by Lagosians through the programme. JD is an egbon to ju agbalagba lo and he was never rude to anyone on that particular programme, nor at anytime on his radio show.

Anyways, I would not want to deify nonsense and its peddler, hence I will summarise the so-called ‘response’ as one of those cries of insanity. It will take the deepest level of insanity for anyone to agree that Lagos is working as it is presently. It is that level that so many of us will not slither to. Nobody is just kidding here.

This will be my second note after: #Pausibility: Ambode, Lagos Is A State Of Excellence!

Governance is usually measured based on deliverables of tangibles and intangibles. Physical and social infrastructures are tangibles because they are what the people can see: Roads, water, hospitals, etc fall under this divide. For the intangibles, both social and economic policies occupy this divide; if I may add: security of lives and properties. These are things that are felt. Any Lagosian can attest, we took both almost for granted under the immediate past administration, hence, the nostalgia.

During the campaigns, we were sold a first class graduate, a chartered Accountant per excellence, a guy who self-financed his education. A man who almost went through his childhood shoeless like the former President. He was not a talk-active but his action-packed posters caught some people’s interest. Even when dust was raised about his ancestry, many ignored it with the faith that we are certain of continuity of the changes that were heralded by BRF. But little did we know that the clout that governed Lagos till the morning of 29th May, 2015 took flight immediately Fashola left Marina; instead a Jonathanian spirit gained the Right of Occuppancy in Lagos House. It is the ilk of Jonathan that will serenade their audience with: I had no shoe, get into office, and raise the hopes of the people because they believe his humble background will make him align with the common man, but instead of stepping up to the plate, steep deeply down the curve due to incapacity and intelligence. The first could be pardoned but when arrogance will not make you call out or listen to people that can help you out of your quagmire even when they are available, then the latter cannot be overlooked. I see no reason why Fashola should not be reached out to at this time. One thing I know, Fashola would not want his town razed because he was not born in Ondo. He gave his words when he was leaving, he said he is always a phone call away and he never gives his word and go back on it, although, The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born.

A friend of mine would always say that this guy he is looking at doesn’t strike him as someone who has the smartness of Lagos to govern Lagos but I will always argue that the guy does not need to do more than is expected (Fashola’s stroke can only be Fashola’s), he only has to follow a path that is already paved with shinning light. But when a son inherits a well-maintained archetype of his father but decides to remodel the structure and pulls down the edifice, first of all, before contacting the draughtsman or considering the financial implication of such a task, then such a child doesn’t deserve anyone’s praise.

Why would any sane person disrupt the easy flow of events?

If one wants to know how a state is governed, test the impulse of the commercial bus drivers then you will know the volition of the state Governor. The directive to LASTMA of non-impoundment of vehicle even when such a vehicle is caught in the act of grievous violation of traffic rules is meant for a society that can boast of adequate biometric of citizenry and verifiable vehicular databank. The insanity of the commercial drivers that followed that directive threw Lagos back into several decades of incivility. We know you may have some good intention beyond your usual populist approach( populist: like the one that was reported that you went on vigil with the police in one of those dark spots in Lagos), but that good intention was immediately eroded, that even the Danfo drivers themselves became nostalgic of the metropolis they had just few months ago. Iya Ramota with her lambebe sef dey ask if the government for Lagos no be APC to APC again? Any sane mind expected Lagos to run on Plug-And-Play. It takes more than executive pronouncement or recitation of Riot’s Act to curb the madeness of Lagos traffic.

We were told that when the OBJ-led Government saw the need to muscle Lagos in order to frustrate the existence of the additional local government areas created by Bola Ahmed-led Lagos State government by not releasing the fund accruing to Lagos state from the Federation Account, Ambode designed the IGR masterpiece which is quintessential in the nation. The Fashola-led administration enjoyed the plan and he was able to perform to the level that Lagosians took both the tangibles and the intangibles of governance for granted. We have not been told the people have refused to pay their taxes because me I dey pay my tax. Till few months ago, I drove on better roads well lit at night with refreshing greenery greeting me here and there. I felt like a cosmopolitan in my city without having to be in Dubai or in any of the cities of the Queen or Obama’s lane before I savour the beauty of nature. Today our dear green is gone and I don’t think they will return in a long time to come. Hardly would one drive for ten minutes without your car having to screech because our roads are punctuated with potholes at alarming intervals that one would wonder what happened to those yellow-overall guys we used to see blocking those deathtraps few months ago . Anytime I come to such a stop, I reflexively jam my palms and say: Orisa bo le gbemi… Apart from the need to have a very sharp headlight for night drive in Lagos recently, you also must make sure your car cooling system is working fine. Bereft of the two, you either get buried in the hole or get brazenly robbed that you would suddenly realize what those Armoured police vehicles stationed at various points few months back meant.

As the Chief Security Officer of the state, Mr Fashola never for one day gave Lagos the excuse that he couldn’t curb the menace of robbery because the security agencies were not under his control. Fine, he complained of inadequacy of men of the security agencies but never did I read where he opened up the State to the robbers of whatever operation level on the premise that it is the job of the Commissioner of Police to secure the state. Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) was even instituted to assist the security agencies in carrying out their duties smoothly and we all were better off.

What happened to those novelties?

I am fortunate to live close to a Water Works but for several days now I can only patronize meruwa. Few months ago my tap would not go dry this long. I was recently in the office of one of the senior members of your cabinet, we could not get water to drink. The excuse was that they had to go to the Office of the Deputy Governor to make requisition before they can refill their water bottles. What pettiness!

That someone run to the press claiming that they curbed wastages does not mean it is not a ploy for greater ‘wacking’. Now, we are asking: who sent you to save money meant for service delivery? Watch out, because soon, the ‘wacking’ will start vociferously like no man’s business and if you raise any question, the answer is there: Weren’t you the one that told us to spend?

We should stop concentrating on people’s degrees but rather, we should screen their pedigree. Fashola’s pedigree was a no-nonsense man, even as the CoS to Asiwaju. But the story of someone being pushed out of service was politically quelled with some old good story. The unfolding events point to a vendetta: the striking move to undo Fashola at all cost.

If you must undo what is good, replace it with what is better or put in its stead what is best. The way you are going about it may spell your political doom regardless of who your godfathers are. You are allowing the service that you were employed for to suffer.

I wonder the level of excellence you have brought in.

 

NB: This piece is written in simple English.