By Ben Murray-Bruce
A good plan is only as important as the willingness to execute it. Since Independence in 1960, successive administrations have paid little attention to the poor.
Government has played the role of Robin Hood, unfortunately though in reverse: they have taken from the poor to subsidise and sustain the rich.
I urge the Federal Government to reverse that role and play the real Robin Hood, and now take from the rich and give to the poor.
This simply means that they must ensure that the rich make the same sacrifice that the poor have made and continue to make. After all, it is not a sin to be poor.
The government of Nigeria must practise what it preaches. If it does and implements the Ben Bruce Transport Policy it will go a long way in easing the untold hardship the increase in the cost of petrol will have on the Nigerian masses.
The Ben Bruce transport policy is simple, realistic and very achievable. I propose N318b annually for 10 years. This will re-invent and re-build the transport sector of Nigeria and alleviate the sufferings of the Nigerian people and at the same time grow our economy.
I demand for the Nigerian masses a N79.6b fund to subsidise bus and taxi services in Nigeria. I want that subsidy at 50 per cent of the cost for all Nigerians. Many other developing and advanced economies have subsidised their transport sectors. For instance, Brazil by 70 per cent, South Africa by 34 per cent, Chile by 57 per cent, the UK by 49 per cent, Belgium by 69 per cent and Finland by 65 per cent.
We all know the problems that have plagued our nation for decades. We all know the untold hardship our people have been through, and so did the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti as emphasised in many of his songs.
One of the focal points of my plan is that all school children in uniform, senior citizens over 60 and children under 10 must travel free of charge by public transportation under this plan. Transport fares should not rise because the government should pay the difference of deregulation immediately to the transport sector. I estimate that we spend N50b annually on transport fare. Deregulation will double that and make it N100b.
The additional N50b should be paid by the government. And equally important, I propose an additional N79.6b annual intervention fund at five per cent interest over five years provided by the banks and guaranteed by the Federal Government to be used to buy fuel efficient cars and buses.
These vehicles must be among the top 5 most fuel efficient in the world and most importantly, they must be duty free.
I don’t have to be psychic or a soothsayer to know that the money that will accrue to government from deregulation is more than enough to pay for the purchase of such vehicles, with an estimate of N3M for Cars, N11M for mini buses and N16M for bigger buses. Old cars and buses should be brought to designated centres, where they can be purchased for at least N300,000 each and crushed, so they are taken out of circulation and will reduce the carnage on our roads.
The money will be used as a down payment towards the purchase of new cars and buses. This should also apply to any Nigerian who wishes to purchase a fuel efficient vehicle. We must transform bus drivers into bus owners and taxi drivers into taxi owners and make it easy for the Nigerian working class to own cars. N79.6b is also needed to provide infrastructure for the buses and taxis such as depots for overnight parking/garaging of the buses, fuelling, repairs and maintenance etc. A depot could be built to accommodate as many as 500 buses.
BUS TERMINALS: This is the location for buses to park and wait for passengers. Terminals should also have passenger facilities such as restaurants, conveniences, shops, fuel stations and a bus washing bay. Bus Terminals should be located at the ends of bus corridors in urban areas and at critical intersections in the interstate mass transit systems Bus Shelters and;
LAY BY’S: for buses to pick up and drop passengers, along bus corridors in urban areas without affecting the general traffic flow. They should be located at 200 metre intervals on both sides of the bus corridors in urban areas. This is what you have on Ikorodu Road in Lagos.
To make my plan work, N79.6b must also be provided by government to replace old, unsafe and uneconomical trucks. The same principle applies, but they will not get subsidy because they use diesel which had been deregulated long before the deregulation of petrol even became an issue.
The government must set up a Transport Regulatory Authority to regulate the industry.
Nigeria will spend in 10 years exactly 20 per cent of the savings that will accrue from the removal of subsidy.
22 comments
Good plan. Wat i was xpectin frm Dog Jazzy. Bt aparently he chose 2 make condemn d presidency. Referin 2 d president as ‘guy.’ God Bles ppl lyk Bruce who always think of wat 2 do 4 thr country n nt d oda way round lyk Dog JAzzy. Durin d campaign Dog suported GEJ 4 d money n nw he opens his mouth 2 comdemn d man he convincd youths 2 vote. Unprincipled Dog!
Bruce has †ђξ potential of being †ђξ future president of our great nation but he needs to wash his hands clean because he needs to reflect on his past and ♓αvﻉ credible things said and done that can make him righT. †ђξ truth is that †ђξ masses actually needs someone that understands their plights. Its not about †ђξ fuel subsidy but its an opportunity to reflect on †ђξ generality of †ђξ hardships of an average Nigerian. †ђξ state and federal universities A̶̲̥̅̊я̲̣̥ε̲̣̣̣̥ hardly affordable and ASUU is even still on strike. Talking about buying new vehiclesn A̶̲̥̅̊я̲̣̥ε̲̣̣̣̥ D̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ going to be driven on lekki ajah roads? What abt †ђξ issue of households using generators ( ! Better pass my neighbour) as †ђξ only means of generating electricity)tRy visiting filling stations and U̶̲̥̅̊ will †ђξ amount of people that queue to buy. †ђξ truth is that our country needs overhauling and these jokers still don’t know that things A̶̲̥̅̊я̲̣̥ε̲̣̣̣̥ getting worsened. CoRruption and cost of governace should significantly reduced before subsidy can be talked about. Therefore Bruce should shut up and rethink before he talks
mayowa dont condemm wat d man say.just contribute ur own qouta of it and leave the page.the man spoke right
Very good one, if this can be implemented, it will go a long way in solving our transportation problems.
Dis continuing 2 ring a bell in my heart.Fuel Subsidy when my president has not acheive one third of all d promise he made.Ben,u av layed well plan and it depends on how 2 carry it out.
I’ll vote Ben Bruce if he should run for President, I pray he does so.
This are the type of Innovative and Brilliant people this country needs.
I so much cherised wat Bruce articulated.we need people like him 2 preside and drivd this nation.
Its only wen a man goes hungry dats wen he finks of a panacea 2 his predicaments… Nigerians believe sincerity can’t emanate 4rm a PDP led administration… But in dis case, i see GEJ tryin 2 grow ROSES ON CONCREATE. Thanks a dozen Mr. Bruice 4 dis one, i also believe in a great Nigeria like u. Dj Elemstrange.
On point Mr Bruce.
In simple english without much economics jargon, your policy appeals to common sense.
Can you please borrow Jonsnathan some of your uncommon sense.
please.
Good point bruce… But we know people like u, you lay a gud foundation wid ur mouth but wen u are in such position to implement the plans, na another thing u go do. Its not about mouth making, its all about making it happen.
i pray that govt should make use of bruce ideas.
i pray that our govt should make use of bruce ideas.
Wonders shall never end…we’ll remove the non existent and unnecessary oil subsidy to start a new transport subsidy…lol…lol…way to go only in Naija. Hmmn!!
Mr Bruce….only the blind cant see u are an agent of GEJ! From ur role in luring entertainers for his campaign,to ur ridiculous claim to represent the POOR at the townhall meeting! And now these shameless recomendations to deceitfully pacify the masses n make them see you as fighting their course….who get ear make him hear…all this ish na BOBO…the same way dem bobo ur mama,dem bobo ur papa,dem bobo ur grandmama,dem bobo ur grandpapa…FEMI do talk am.Na today? Smh
Pls this is time 2 reason together,let us know the reasons why state govs kept mute even after yesterday council of state meeting over this subsidy removal or is it bcos monthly allocations come from Abuja.The people wish to know the harmonius decisions of the federal legislature.Nigeria will not turn to Libya,Syria,Yemen etc
Don’t u think we shld start looking for a way to decongest the roads?? U haff been talking about buses, and I can’t see any point being made about rail, ferries or alternative means of transport.. Traffic and comfort shld be d key points
it amazes me that some of the most mundane things, are still things we cannot comprehend as a nation. U.A.E does not export more oil than we do. 15 years ago Dubai was a desert. Presently their side-walks are as wide as 20ft. When the Nigerian Govts build roads, they are only concerned about motorists, what of the pedestrians, the cyclists?. What’s so impossible with doing functional rails, refining our crude locally,curbing corruption? A lot of the chaps in Govt are not only intellectually bankrupt but also very greedy.May God give us good leaders in our time.
Nice one mr bruce but there are other means of transport like railway bcos all those buses can’t ply the bad road ωε have.
That’s a good proposition. I hope GEJ will appreciate this. I’d reaaly love to know Iwealla’s reaction to this plan. Those opportuned to be in US & UK will wonder how they seems to get it right. The will to do things rightly for the benefit of the masses has always been lacking in our leaders. Ben Bruce’s thought is good but I’m worried that he has been part of bad governance we’ve had in this country. Where were his thoughts then?
Ben Bruce,ur suggestion well taken ĄЙd̶̲̥̅̊ digested.However, are Ʊ oblivious of d fact that we got no roads, ĄЙd̶̲̥̅̊ dat congestion is now due to †ђξ accumulation of Βα̲̅đ vehicles alone, but that we got too many cars on too many Βα̲̅đ roads?Ʊ also made no refrence to altenative means of transportation, meaning Ʊ don’t think of a future in our rails?
Mr. Ben bruce kudos to you! U’re such as a philosopher for a great strategy like this, but who can implement such of this suggestion in this contry, no!becos to me i thought dat successful leaders must be in sympathy with their followers, more over they must understand them & their problems. But in Nigeria things is not like that, why?
It is a well articulated and informed proposal made the man with vision, i think with the people like .BEN. Nigeria are on the right path. God bless Nigeria..