By Milcah Tanimu
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that its urban mass transit buses will soon resume operations to alleviate the impact of increased transport fares due to the removal of fuel subsidies. Since the implementation of the new fuel price regime, transport fares in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have risen by over 100 percent.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had announced the removal of fuel subsidies during his inaugural speech on May 29, leading to the petrol price increasing from N195 to N540 per liter. Barely two months later, the price was further reviewed upward to N617 per liter, taking a heavy toll on FCT residents.
Many civil servants have expressed their concerns as the increase in transport fares has forced them to allocate a larger portion of their salaries to transportation expenses. However, FCTA’s decision to resume urban mass transit bus services has been seen as a welcome development by some residents, as it is expected to significantly improve the transportation situation in the FCT.
For instance, Paul Nkom, a resident of Nyanya, currently spends more than N1,000 daily on transportation from the initial N300 to the Federal Secretariat and back home. This amounts to over N5,000 per week and N20,000 per month from his modest salary. He believes that with the return of urban mass transit buses, fares will decrease significantly, providing relief to commuters.
Another resident, Lawal Haruna, spends N1,100 daily on transportation from Gwarinpa to his office at Central Area, Abuja, and back home, amounting to N2,200 every day. This sums up to N11,000 weekly and N44,000 monthly, which is approximately 50 percent of his salary. Haruna appeals to the FCTA to take urgent action in refurbishing the urban mass transit buses and bringing them back into service to offer affordable and alternative transportation options in the FCT.
The Permanent Secretary of FCTA, Olusade Adesola, assured the public that plans are already in place to restore the mass transit buses. The Managing Director of Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company (AUMTCO) has been actively engaged in meetings with bus suppliers in Lagos over the weekend to expedite the process.
In addition to the bus service resumption, FCTA has begun the rehabilitation of vandalized rail tracks in the Abuja Rail Transport System to complement urban mass transit buses and provide relief to the public.
The Federal Government has also introduced several measures to alleviate the effects of petroleum product subsidy removal, signaling its commitment to address the challenges posed by the fuel price hike.