Lagos State government has debunked earlier media reports that it was planning to ban the yellow commercial buses popularly called ‘Danfo’ from operating in the state.
Olarenwaju Elegushi, acting commissioner for transportation, clarified the government’s position on the issue at a stakeholders’ meeting on the utilisation of the upgraded Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) bus terminal, in Lagos Island, on Tuesday. The state plans to formally open the terminal as one of signature projects to mark 50th anniversary of the creation of Lagos.
According to Elegushi, the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode never said he was going to ban the yellow buses; what the state government intends to do is to re-fleet the yellow buses by taking out the rickety ones from operations.
He assured that existing operators of the yellow buses would be retrained and taken through a re-orientation process to fit into the public transportation master plan of the state government, and therefore need not fear over possibly loss of their means of livelihood.
Addressing transportation stakeholders on how the upgraded TBS terminal will be utilised, the acting commissioner said provisions have been made to accommodate taxi, yellow buses and tricycle operators as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the franchise buses operators.
Some of the facilities at the upgrade terminal are 24/7-power supply, toilet facilities, CCTV cameras, mini stores and ticketing stands, while indiscriminate trading is prohibited. The terminal is to be run by a facility management company.
The commissioner said the state government decided to upgrade the bus terminal in line with the plan to make Lagos “Africa’s model megacity”.
He called on the stakeholders to take ownership of the project by ensuring its proper usage and maintenance, adding that plans are also ongoing by the government to equally upgrade other bus terminals in the state including those of Yaba and Oyingbo.