•Some of the buses to be handled by women drivers.
Primero Transport Services operating on the Ikorodu-CMS corridor, has announced employment opportunities for women-drivers.
The Managing Director, Mr Fola Tinubu, who disclosed this to newsmen during the first year anniversary last week, said women are being offered the chance to prove their mettle in driving.
“It has been proved that women are more matured and tend to be calm behind the wheels than men and we are already shopping for women to come out and join our pool of drivers,” he said.
Tinubu, who noted that 90 drivers are currently undergoing training by the company, added that by December, when they are injected to the pool, the company would have brought buses shuttling the Ikorodu-CMS corridor to 500.
He said despite the harsh environment, the company had moved 34 million passengers within its first year.
“We couldn’t expand as projected because of the very difficult environment in which we have to operate and difficulties in accessing exchange rate for our operations, which limited our capacity to bring in more vehicles or conclude plans to introduce the eCard.”
He, however, disclosed plans by the company to increase its fleet to 900 next year and increase this to 2000 in the next two years; establish an assembly plant and venture into the property market by providing town houses around Ikorodu town.
Tinubu further disclosed that early next year, the board would be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm on the establishment of an assembly plant at Majidun. He said the eCard which had got to advanced stage may become operational on all its fleet before the end of second quarter next year.
Tinubu, whose company also undertook the rehabilitation of Majidun Junior High School as part of the anniversary, said every year, Primero would be undertaking the rehabilitation of all public schools in the Ikorodu division. He added that N30 million has been voted for the rehabilitation of the Majidun school project.
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (LAMATA) Managing Director, Engr Abiodun Dabiri, urged the operator to improve its services in order to reduce the stress of commuters and reduce waiting time at bus stops.
Dabiri, who was represented by the External Communications Specialist Mr Kolawole Ojelabi, disclose that , a BRT corridor would soon be introduced between Oshodi- Abule Egba to complement the ongoing flyover project which would be completed next year.
He said the introduction of the BRT corridor in Ikorodu has lived to its billing as it has opened up economic activities in Ikorodu. He added that the government would continue to promote public transportation as the cheaper means of commuting for the people of the state.
Speaking on behalf of other royal fathers present at the event, the Ranodu of Imota Oba Ajibade Agoro praised plans by the company to establish assembly plant in the area. He said the last one year had been a blessing to the people of Ikorodu division as the company has brought unimaginable development to the area.
He praised the company for its rehabilitation of Majidun Junior High School. He, however, urged the company to give more employment opportunities tothe people of the area.
