By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

The FCT administration banned commercial buses called Araba from entering Abuja township, causing hardship to commuters as few luxury buses are deployed by government to the city roads.  In this interview, National President of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), High Chief Musa Shehu, says the action will affect government in the 2015 elections. Excerpts:

What is your reaction to the recent ban on commercial buses coming to town?

It is unfortunate; we forget that we are in democracy. Before the ban, the FCT Minister was supposed to have made sure there were sufficient vehicles on ground. You do not have enough luxury buses and you went ahead to ban the mini-buses.  The FCT minister should remember this is democracy and have a rethink because the people including those who voted for his party to come on board are suffering.

*Abuja commercial buses

What is your advice to your members in Abuja on the mini-bus ban?

I will advise them to be calm for now, we are on top of the situation, we don’t want crisis, we don’t want demonstration, we don’t want anybody to carry bottle and say ‘I want to die’.  I am sure something tangible will come out from government because Bala, the FCT Minister,  is not such a bad man, he is a politician. I am sure he will give us a listening ear.

What are your plans to ensure adequate security in the parks?

The park that suicide bombers attacked in Kano is a private park for luxury buses. I was based in Kano before I became the president, I was the chairman  of RTEANin Kano State and the attack happened at the Eldorado Suleiman luxurious bus park.  I think it was a mistake to hand over that park to people though they are transporters;  the park is supposed to have police station.

There is supposed to be a bomb detector and search conducted before passengers enter vehicles. As soon as the bus is full, they should ask everybody to come out and line up with their bags for checks because of the security situation in the country.

There is the need for thorough check before one enters the vehicle.  I will also advise the drivers not to stop along the road to pick passengers. It is greed that is causing death because as you carry people on the road, you pick up people that were not screened. We will be serious by screening passengers before they enter vehicles.

Erecting police posts in motor parks

In all the parks, we are calling on the Inspector General of Police to direct police commissioners to make sure there are police outposts and members of the CIB to screen passengers before any vehicle moves. This will not only stop suicide bombers, it will stop robberies too.

It was alleged that some past leaders of your union embezzled your money.

The matter is already with the police.  We set up a committee to look into allegations of fraud in the association, a former leader started pleading that he was going to refund N10 million. But the amount we are talking about is N179 million.

You cannot say because you don’t have money, that you are going to pay N10 million; bring at least N50 million, then we will enter into agreement on how you will pay the balance gradually.  The  matter has been referred to the police.  I will push for the case to be investigated and he will return our money; if we have that kind of money, we can build our own secretariat.

What is your blue print?

If we recover this huge sum of money and it is deposited in a commercial bank, we can get a soft loan to give vehicles to our members for four or five years. That is taking care of the welfare of our members apart from building the secretariat.

How do you ensure the safety of passengers?

Passengers are our partners in progress. I am going to draw out a plan that is going to take care of the  passengers.

If you are travelling and the vehicle breaks down, we make sure there is an alternative vehicle for you to get to your destination; not a situation whereby the driver leaves you and jumps into the bush.  If you are a passenger and anything happens in the course of your trip, come to our office and report, we will help you in so far as you know the vehicle’s number.