Lagos plans to train, rehabilitate Danfo, Molue bus drivers

The Lagos State Government has said it has no plan to ban drivers of the popular yellow buses known as Danfo and Molue.

Rather, the government said it would train them and reform them to change their  behaviour on the highways.

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Eko Trust reports that there has been a back-and-forth in Lagos over the move to ban Danfo drivers in the state.

Danfo, the popular yellow buses on the highways and hinterlands of Lagos has become part and parcel of the state. Many say it is synonymous with Lagos and even the activities of Agberos (toll collectors) at every bus stop have further popularised “The Danfo menace.”

The immediate past administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had vowed to ban the operation of  Danfo buses in the state through the Bus Service Reform, which was to replace the yellow buses with mini buses being acquired by the state.

This generated tension in the state with the transport unions moving against the government.

But the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is taking a different approach to the issue.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde disclosed that the government would rather train the drivers, reorient them with a view to restoring sanity on the highways.

Addressing newsmen yesterday, he said the government had trained 97,866 commercial drivers in the last two years through its drivers’ institute while a rehabilitation centre for drivers had also been set up.

According to him, it would be unfair for the government to kick out Danfo drivers from the highways. He said this would lead to loss of thousands of jobs, while more criminal activities may be created in the state.