By Enyichukwu Enemanna
In response to the growing Naira bills scarcity across the country, the governor of Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial capital, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced a cut in transport fare for residents to 50% which will cover all state public transportation on the road, and waterways system, taking effect next week.
The governor also said relief items will be distributed to residents with effect from Thursday through religious leaders, non-governmental organisations, to cushion the effect of the hardship resulting from the cash scarcity and long petrol queues.
“To further support Lagosians to weather these stormy days, I hereby announce the following measures: A 50% cut in fares on all our BRT buses, LAGRIDE taxi-scheme, First Mile and Last Mile buses, and Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY),” the governor said.
“This will take effect from tomorrow (Thursday) for the next seven days. We will push out more Cowrie Cards to enable more Lagosians to get onboard our services”, the governor announced on Wednesday in an address to the media at Lagos House in the Marina area of the state.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the BRT buses, first and last-mile buses have been directed to charge 50 percent of the current fare to reduce the hardship of the naira swap on residents.
While appealing to residents not to take advantage of the economic challenge to perpetrate crime in the state, Sanwo-Olu further explained that the state government has suspended the road construction along Buba Maruwa, Ijegun-Egba to ease fuel dispatch across the state.
He directed that food banks be set up in various parts of the state to cater for the vulnerable, hinting that the state government will distribute food stuff to various communities.
