Posted by By Olatunji Saliu on
A large number of drivers with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system are to be retrenched this new year, P.M.News has learnt.
A large number of drivers with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system are to be retrenched this new year, P.M.News has learnt.
An authoritative source, at the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), revealed that some drivers working with the scheme would be laid off for gross indiscipline and misconduct. The source said the decision to sack the drivers was taken after various allegations of indiscipline levelled against the drivers were considered.
P.M.News gathered that LAMATA and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), operators of the scheme, have concluded arrangements to employ graduates to replace those sacked. Most of the drivers were accused of being unruly and discourteous to commuters.
'Although, we were not part of the employment team that gave them the privilege to drive the BRT buses, we have received reports that most of them recruited by the NURTW are bad for the image and effective functioning of the scheme.
'Most of them are secondary school certificate holders with poor orientation to handle such a project. They are more or less area boys,' the source stated.
It was gathered that a lot of commuters had lodged complaints at both the LAMATA and NURTW (Co-operative Society) offices in Lagos, on how BRT bus drivers misbehave while driving. The source refused to disclose the number of drivers to be sacked, but P.M.News learnt that about 500 drivers might be affected.