By Aliyu Dangida
The General Manager, Katsina State Transport Authority (KTSTA), Alhaji Haruna Musa Rugoji said that the insecurity situation has been affecting the operations of the agency on all its route within and out the state.
Katsina State is one of front line insecured states in the North West and the situation has claimed the lives of thousands of persons and destroyed properties worth billions of naira, displaced thousands of families and making life very traumatic for generality of the populace in the last few years.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in his office, the General Manager cited an incidence when one of the authority’s drivers was shot and killed in a broad daylight along Katsina – Jibia road and attacks on Katsina – Batsari road.
“These attacks forced the authority to abandoned the Katsina – Jibia-Sokoto road and had to take to Sokoto through Funtua – Gusau which takes longer man hour and consumes more fuel. while drivers and commuters move about in fear of terrorists attacks”. Rugoji narrated.
The General Manager was full of gratitude for efforts being put in place by Governor Dikko Umar Radda in addressing attacks by terrorists in the state, saying that will enhance their services as well as curtail fear and anxiety from travellers.
On the issue of counterfeit and high cost of spare parts, The KTSTA Boss stated that it remains one of the biggest challenges but since ‘I happened to be an experienced transport operator even before joining the services of the authority, I employed my vast experience to identify genuine spare parts but have to bear the cost of parts as the issues are determined by market forces”. He noted.
Hotpen reports that, KTSTA is one the vibrant transport agencies in Nigeria going by the number of buses plying the Nigerian roads due to the sustained quality of their operations which meets the transport needs of commuters.
Rugoji reminded that the primary mandate of Katsina State Transport Authority is to provide safe, comfortable and affordable transport services to people of Katsina State and Nigeria.
Ideally, the authority subsidized its services with 20 percent charged by private transport operators but today, despite the increase in fueling cost, it offers more than that to commuters and that is why they always wait to board the KTSTA buses, “This has made it to stablise the transport business in Katsina State and Nigeria to the benefit of commuters”. He stressed.
