Relief For Drivers As Lagos Allows ‘Danfo’ Buses’ Continue Operation
Huge relief has come for public transport drivers and fare collectors following the decision of Lagos government to allow the Yellow and Black buses known as Danfo in local parlance to continue to operate on the roads in the state.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Frederick Oladeinde had in February 2021 condemned the retention and continued use of the yellow buses which he said, did not fit into the transportation master plan of the State.
Speaking on a Channels Television Political Programme, ‘Politics Today” the government appeared to have changed direction as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the Yellow Danfo Buses are also major stakeholders in the State and it won’t be fair taking away their means of livelihood.
“The Danfo buses have become part and parcel of the state’s residents, making it practically impossible to phase them out” he said.
Sanwo-olu disclosed that instead of taking the buses off the road the state government would remodel them and give them a contemporary outlook and feel that met modern standards.
“It will be unfair for us. These are important stakeholders. They served our citizens. They served Lagosians for a long time. It became the print of Lagos, the yellow buses,” Sanwo-olu said during the Sunday night interview.
“Let’s be very creative. Let’s see how we can remodel them without scrapping them out. We are collaborating with them. You know that our citizens now deserve newer models of cars.”
The Governor also spoke on the wanton destruction of Lagos State Government Buses during the #ENDSARs protest, he said the state had signed an agreement with a local bus manufacturing company to replace buses burnt during the #EndSARS protest.
He said although the buses were insured, the insurance did not cover “unforeseen circumstances”.
He disclosed that the buses that will be manufactured by the local firm would have the same features and specifications as the ones that were razed during the protests.
“Absolutely, we are trying to replenish them, we have started the compensation and the interesting thing is that we are working with a local bus manufacturing company,” he said.
“And it is going to come almost with the same specifications of the ones that were unfortunately destroyed so that Lagosians can have the same feel of the buses.
“They were insured. Insurance will never cover you 100 percent.”
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