Enugu Drivers Want Gov’t To Hands Off Transport Operations

Some commercial drivers in Enugu State, Monday, pleaded with the state government to hands off its transportation interests and solely regulate the sector. According to the drivers that spoke with THE WHISTLER, the active involvement of the state-owned CNG buses in carrying passengers on major routes was adversely affecting their sources of livelihood.

Samson Eze drives a Sienna and plies Enugu-Nsukka route. He said the competition posed by the state-run CNG buses had adversely affected his earning. “This is almost 1pm, and I am yet to load my first trip to Nsukka,” laments Eze. “All the passengers now prefer the CNG buses because they are cheaper and more comfortable. But we the drivers are paying the prices. Yesterday, I was only able to load two trips from morning till night. On Saturday, I ‘blew empty’, hoping to carry passengers standing on roadsides. I couldn’t get any because even the CNG buses now pick passengers on the road. Because they are now very frequent, passengers patiently wait for them. What does the state want us to do?”

Charles Obum echoes the same frustration. He said, “I want the state government to regulate the transport sector, and leave the business for the commercial drivers. It is wrong for the state to be competing with us. No one can defeat the state in a contest like this. The governor should initiate ways of protecting businesses in the state rather than exposing us to the danger of collapsing.”

He said the state planned its transport scheme to run down private commercial drivers. “The state first constructed ultra-modern terminals where these buses load and discharge passengers. It then forced commercial drivers to be loading inside the same parks. What it means is that passengers easily have access to the CNG buses. If we are operating in different places, some passengers might not have the option of boarding the CNG vehicles. It is unfair and should be looked into.”

Some passengers who spoke with our correspondent expressed gratitude to the state government for the transport scheme. “I am Mrs Mgbede. I patronise the CNG buses for many reasons. I park my car comfortably at the park, board the bus to Nsukka, and return through the same means. One advantage of the CNG buses is that they are not disturbed at various police checkpoints along Enugu-Nsukka road. The checkpoints are boring. Other commercial vehicles waste a lot of time at those checkpoints. So I always enjoy the CNG ride. They are faster too.”

James Itodo, a trader, said, “The CNG buses also carry goods. In them, no police or road safety officials disturb anybody. Again, the buses do no lack passengers. So there is nothing like delays at the parks. I pity those other commercial drivers. They were exploiting us before.”

A driver at a leading transport company, on condition of anonymity, said he and his colleagues were avoiding all the routes the state CNG buses ply. “It is can be terrible calling on passengers that will not enter your bus.

Some passengers will stay in my bus briefly, and leave for the CNG buses. I doubt if the state entrance into transportation is the best. We are made to pay taxes to the state, yet the same state is depriving us passengers. How do you expect us to pay? Let Gov Peter Mbah review the scheme of the CNG buses, or provide us alternative sources of living. We used to charge N3000 to Nsukka before. Some buses were charging N2,500. Passengers now prefer CNG buses which charge N1,500. Let the state help us convert our vehicles to CNG so we can compete effectively.”