Yankari Mass Transit, NARTO Other Transportation Company Deny Operations In Dass

By Umar Sani Yakubu

Yankari Mass Transit and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO have been denied approval to operate following the decision to step down the price for commuters.

While speaking on the matter, the Chairman of NARTO, Saleh Sama’ila Turaki said they decided to look into the plight of the people of the town by stepping down prices, but since they came up with the idea, it seems not to be welcomed by relevant authorities.

He expresses worries that the local government authorities are treating the approval of all the two transport companies with kid gloves as sister companies carry on with their exploitation of the passengers.

“We have started pursuing the process to allow us to operate in Dass local government since July 27th, 2023. But, as we count months we are yet to be formally granted approval to operate”.

“The worst part is even after the local government chairman directed the revenue department to allocate space for us to operate in the bus station, other companies with higher prices denied us space.”

Saleh Turaki then called on the authority’s concern and fellow transport workers to consider the plight of commuters and stop the exploitation.”, added.

Also speaking with our correspondent, the former deputy chairman Mass Transit Bauchi, Bitrus Yusuf Mai Unguwa who facilitate the process by appealing to Yankari Mass Transit to come and operate in Dass at lower prices said committee created by the local chairman to facilitate the process have been delaying it.

He said, “This forced the local government chairman to give us verbal approval to commence operations, but as we set to commence, the member National Road Transport Work and other bodies in the bus station closed the gate and denied us entrance for operations claiming that they were not given written notification.”

He added that, “the people are suffering and transportation fee is adding salt to the injury as such authorities concern should speed the process”.

Meanwhile, until the time of filing this report, all efforts to speak with the Dass local government caretaker chairman, Comrade Muhammad Jibo failed as he neither responded to phone calls nor replied to text messages sent to him.

Reports indicate that this follows a decade of outcries by the residents of the Dass local government on the exploitation by transportation companies operating the area.

It is on record that, every time the transportation company in the area was put under pressure to lower the prices, the Bauchi Motor Pack would force them to the price of their choice.

This means, that whenever the fight is over in Dass, the Wunti motor pack must also be put under pressure to let the process work.

Recall that, following the hardship faced by Nigerians resulting from the effect of fuel subsidy removal, the government and concerned transportation agencies have been assiduously committed to finding solutions to lessen the pressure caused by the price hike in the transportation sector.

This has forced the government in Bauchi state to buy more buses to be used in the state-owned transportation company, Yankari Mass Transit.

Unfortunately, in what looks like a joke, as Yankari Mass Transit and Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO set to commence operations in Dass local government at a lesser cost, they said the local government has been delaying approval while the already existing transportation body frustrates the process.