Some commercial transporters in Port Harcourt say they can only carry out partial compliance to Gov. Nyesom Wike’s directive for buses and taxis to reduce numbers of passengers to curb COVID-19.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wike had in a broadcast, directed that buses and taxis carrying 18 and 5 passengers should carry only 10 and three, respectively, to check the spread of COVID 19.
Obinna Njoku, a taxi driver plying the Rumuola to Rumuokwuta Road, told NAN on Thursday that he could not carry three passengers, because they were not willing to pay N100.
“The directive is okay to check the spread of Corona virus, but if we must comply, the passengers should pay N100 as transport fare instead of the usual N50.
“This is to enable us cover for the fuel cost and get something to take care of our homes,” he said.
Another motorist, Dayo Adeleye, explained that the directive would have been effective if there were incentives to cover for loss in reduction of passengers from five to three.
“This is not possible, we must recover the cost of fuel, and also get money for the day’s service.
“I carried three passengers that agreed to pay N100 each; but at any point passengers insist on paying N50, I carry five passengers,” he said.
At the Rumuokwuta to Education bus stops on Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, a NAN correspondent in a bus asked the driver and conductor why they were not complying with Gov. Wike’s order.
The bus conductor, Emeka Nwoye stated that passengers were unwilling to pay N100 for N50 distance, and this will affect running cost.
“We make returns to the owner of the bus daily, and we must cover fuel expenses and get something home for the day,” Nwoye said.
A passenger, Mrs Fabiawari Eleki, said that she paid N100 as taxi fare from Education bus stop to her destination, because the driver carried only three of them.
“I actually paid N100 today, because the driver told us that he will only carry three persons, and agbero boys (Touts) that loaded the taxi gave us sanitiser to use,” she said. (NAN)