Fuel, naira crisis: Sanwo-Olu cuts transport fares by 50%

The Lagos State government on Wednesday cut fares on all government-owned transportation systems by 50 percent to cushion the effect of petrol and naira scarcity on the residents.

Governor Babajde Sanwo-Olu announced the fare slash while addressing journalists at the State House, Marina, on the crisis rocking the country. Sanwo-Olu said the 50 percent fare cut would take effect from Thursday, January 9 and would be effective for seven days.

The governor has also approved a 20 percent salary increase for sanitation workers in the state.

According to him, the currency swap and the lingering fuel situation had, no doubt, raised the tension in the land, but thanked Lagos residents for their patience and understanding in the face of hardship experienced in recent days.

Sanwo-Olu said the government had taken some steps to cushion the effects of these measures that were announced at the federal level, but with telling effects on states.

“Your resilience has been remarkable. On behalf of the executive council, I thank you most sincerely for standing firm, demonstrating your confidence in our ability to protect your interest in these difficult days.

“There have been talks between the state government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (NNPCL) on the lingering fuel shortage. NNPCL demanded Ijegun Egba tank owners and operators unhindered access to the tank farms, where about 40 percent of petroleum products come from.

“We have been able to do that by rearranging the timing of the work on the Buba Marwa Road, the dual carriageway that leads to the tank farms. The road is over 50 percent completed.

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Sanwo-Olu said the government has also given approval for a 24-hour work at petrol stations across the state.

Ibrahim Odumboni, managing director of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), who confirmed Sanwo-Olu’s approval of the 20 percent salary raise during a meeting with street workers on Wednesday, said they would also be provided with new work tools. These include overalls, boots, personal protective equipment (PPE) etc, which would enable them to discharge their duties more effectively.

Odumboni added that the government under the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu was committed to providing the necessary support for the sweepers to carry out their roles efficiently.

He admonished the sanitation workers to perform their civic responsibility by voting at the forthcoming elections. He urged them to spread the word to their neighbourhoods and to exercise their voting rights, adding that the government was counting on them to make their voices heard through their votes.