Last year, the Federal Government came up with a promise to reduce transport fares in the Federal Capital Territory by 40 per cent. According to the plan, the Presidential CNG Initiative (PCNGI), in partnership with transporters, would install compressed natural gas systems on taxis operating from Area 1 motor park and other parts of Abuja, and fares would drop immediately for commuters.
Data presented by the PCNGI at the launch showed specific cuts: fares from Area 1 park to Gwagwalada would drop from N1,500 to N900. Area 1 to Jabi would move from N700 to N420. Area 1 to Bwari Duste, previously N1,500 , would become N900. Area 1 to Kuje would fall from N1,200 to N720. Area 1 to Galadimawa would reduce from N500 to N300. Area 1 to Mpape would go from N1,000 to N600. Area 1 to Zuba would drop from 1,500 naira to 900 naira. Area 1 to Lugbe would move from N700 to N420 . Area 1 to Nyanya would also reduce from N700 to N420.
The government said over 50 per cent of taxis in Abuja had already been converted to CNG fuel at the time of the announcement.
Speaking in Abuja during the launch in Area 1 Park, Abuja, the Programme Director of PCNGI, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, represented by the Regional CNG Expansion Coordinator in charge of the North, David Idakwo, said the agreement reached with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) had begun to yield results.
He disclosed that the PCNGI had already provided 300 CNG kits to the NURTW leadership free of charge for the conversion of Abuja taxis.
He explained that the 40 per cent reduction in transportation fares applies to routes serviced by vehicles converted to Compressed Natural Gas(CNG).
Oluwagbemi stated that the reduction project would continue to Area 3 and eventually to all other parks within Abuja and the country.
He added that the government would ensure full compliance to the fare reduction agreement in collaboration with NURTW by sending out mystery shoppers pretending to be commuters along all the designated routes to fish out cheating drivers.
Oluwagbemi said a sticker had been placed on each of the vehicles for easy identification, advising commuters to look out for the sticker before boarding to enjoy the benefits of the initiative.
Also, Secretary of the Garki Branch of NURTW, Ibrahim Jibril, who spoke at the event assured that the union had been working with PCNGI since the programme was launched, stressing that it was part of efforts of the President to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians with regard to movement from one point to the other.
Jibril said a lot of vehicles had been converted, and the conversion was ongoing.
He confirmed that when they noticed that the majority of their vehicles had been converted, they put a task force in place to ensure transport fare price reduction for the ones that had been converted.
However, one year after that launch, NewsNGR visited Area 1 motor park to assess the implementation of the fare reduction plan and discovered that the by 40 percent reduction plan for transport fare did not only not take-off but did not fly.
Jibril, who was present at the launch in May last year, explained to NewsNGR that the initial challenge was lack of refilling centres.
“ Well, after the launch, the problem the drivers started encountering was the lack of refilling centres. They had to queue for hours to get refilled. This was a problem because after wasting hours just to get gas, you don’t expect a driver to still reduce prices,” he said.
He, however, noted that the situation later changed with as there are many refilling stations available, but the distribution of the CNG kits meant for commercial drivers stopped.
He said the kits are being sold directly to the marketers or to the business people and are no longer going to the unions or to the drivers.
“The problem now is that the kits are no more available, just like being given from the government, especially to commercial drivers. Now, what they have is business. This one now, it’s like they’re selling it directly to the marketers or to the business people,” he said.
He said it is only when a driver has money that he can get the kit, and the cost is high.
According to his findings as of last week, the kits are being sold for about N600,000.
He said commercial drivers do not have that amount of money. He recalled that the kits installed last year were free and drivers only paid a token of N25,000 for the construction of the gas cylinder gasket.
He noted that the installation was even supposed to be free, but the token was introduced to help facilitate the process because the PCNGI was not paying the conversion centres as they were supposed to pay them.
He said this situation forced the centres to ask drivers to pay for the construction of the gasket.
“In order to help and facilitate, because the PICNG themselves, they are actually not paying the centres as they are supposed to pay them. So it makes the centres to go around and just ask the drivers to construct that gasket, and that’s all,” he said.
Jibril alleged that up until now, some conversion centres have still not received their money from PCNGI.
He said the union does not really know what exactly is happening with the programme.
On the number of beneficiaries from the initial rollout, Jibril said from his side alone, more than 500 drivers received the kits.
He said the beneficiaries included Uber drivers, union members, and airport taxis.
He acknowledged that the government tried during the initial phase of the programme and, however, noted that the exercise did not in any way reduce the rate of transportation for regular commuters.
He explained that the reduction is only noticeable among Uber drivers using CNG who are booked online.
On the continuation of the programme, Jibril said that as of December last year, they were told more kits would be distributed in January, but nothing happened.
“Maybe they are waiting for the political campaign to start or whatever. But so far, none of the commercial drivers, especially the unions, are actually receiving any kits from the PICNG,” he said.
On the current fare situation, Jibril said that despite the fuel crisis and the cost of fuel, the union has been able to manage transport fares.
He said there is a reasonable consideration, though not up to what people are expecting, considering the cost of fuel.
He said that in some places, only N50 or N100 has been added to the previous fares.
He advised passengers to ensure they enter parks and board vehicles to their destinations.
According to NewsNGR findings, transport fare from Area 1 to Gwagwada, Bwari, and Zuba is N2000, to Kubwa is N1300, Nyanya N800 and Lugbe, N800.
