Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Sanwo-Olu Approves 25% Fare Discount For Regulated Buses, Rail Transport

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced 25 per cent discount on regulated bus and rail transports in the state.

The announcement comes after the expiration of the 50 per cent rebate earlier granted by Sanwo-Olu when the fuel subsidy was removed by President Bola Tinubu.

Sanwo-Olu had on 2nd August, 2023 announced a 50% discount in fare on regulated transport bus and rail transport which ended on Sunday.

Many Lagosians were taken aback when the fare for BRT and others suddenly jumped up on Monday, signalling the removal of the 50 percent rebate.

But a statement issued by the Kolawola Ojelabi, Head, Corporate Communication, Lagos Area Metropolitan Authority (LAMATA), late Monday night said responding to calls for the reinstatement of the 50% rebate on fare for regulated bus and rail transport, Governor Sanwo-Olu has directed the implementation of 25 per cent discount beginning Tuesday, 7th November 2023.

“Following appeals to the Governor, he has extended the passenger fare reduction by 25% across the regulated bus and rail transport services until another review is announced.

“Within the three months period of the rebate, the pump price of diesel jumped from N867 in August to N1,300 in November 2023 representing about 50 per cent jump,” Ojelabi said.

A resident from Oworonshoki and Idi Araba communities, located in the Kosofe and Mushin local government areas of Lagos State, is now mourning the loss of his pregnant wife and their newborn child after the Lagos State government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, demolished their homes without offering alternative housing.

The victim said that his wife died on Friday as a result of high blood pressure following the demolition of their home and destruction of properties.

He added that since their home was demolished by the state government, his pregnant wife developed high blood pressure that never went down until her death.

SaharaReporters had reported that the state government through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources issued the affected residents only one week’s notice to vacate their homes, after which, the residents were thrown into lamentation as their homes were crushed down by the state government who provided them with no alternative shelters.

The affected residents have been protesting to register their grievances and plight over the continued demolition of their houses, without providing them with alternative homes and livelihood.

The residents have protested and marched along the streets of the area with various cards bearing various inscriptions including “Let us breathe, stop the demolition” “Our future is being truncated, stop the demolition” “No to Land grabbing” and “Don’t get elected to get us evicted.”

The protesting residents, including the aged, pregnant women and nursing mothers whose only homes have been demolished have demanded that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu should provide them with new houses and compensate them for destroying their properties.