We’ve brokered truce with Lagos State government, says LAGBUS

LAGBUS Asset Management said on Tuesday that it has resolved issues with Lagos State government which placed ban on the operation of its buses along Ikorodu corridor, a development that sparked violence on Monday resulting in injuries and destruction.

Over 15 commuters, including drivers of Primero Bus Services, operators of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), were maimed, while 12 BRT buses were said to been vandalised by miscreants. Some of the company’s drivers were still being hospitalised.

The state government during a press conference addressed last Friday by Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Olanrewaju Elegushi, placed a ban on LAGBUS (red buses) from plying the BRT (blue buses) corridor with effect from Monday.

General Manager of LAGBUS, Mr. Idowu Oguntona, while addressing journalists on the crisis on Tuesday in his office, said the management of LAGBUS Asset Management and stakeholders had brokered truce and resolved the crisis.

Oguntona, while recalling that the management of LAGBUS Asset Management had initially reacted to the directive on the restriction of movement of its branded buses on Ikorodu corridor by boycotting work due to security concerns, including potential wrath of passengers and road side miscreants, said normal operations had since resumed on route with the company putting in place measures to address the concerns raised.

“However, having put in place measures to address the concerns raised, normal operations have since resumed. We apologise for any inconveniences that may have been caused to our esteemed customers and wish to reaffirm our commitment to providing quality service to Lagosians,” Oguntona said.

Speaking further, Oguntona said, “Performance is a key thing in our organization to ensure that the workers work effectively in order to earn their wages.

“We earlier anticipated that there might be some impact in the revenue the company will generate, but what we have done is to assure all our captains that they will not be worse off and that the company will absolve whatever potential loss that might arise from the change in policy.”

General Manager of LAGBUS, while saying that it was government’s responsibility to create an enabling environment to attract investors, pointed out that what the new directive had done was to create clarity and ensure that the corridor was dedicated for the private operator.

According to him, this policy now in place will assure potential investors to know that the government has policies and strong in enforcement of such policies, saying government would not want to create a situation where policies were created and the necessary enforcement was absent.

“I believe that the government is committed to creating the enabling environment to attract potential investors that will comply with the policies and regulation of the government,” he said.