Deregulation: Ben Murray-Bruce Seeks $2bn for Transport Sector

Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce


By Ejiofor Alike


Chairman of Silverbird Television, Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce has called on the federal government to plough $2 billion yearly for the next five years from the money it would save from the withdrawal of fuel subsidies to the transport sector, as a condition for the full deregulation of the downstream sector of the oil industry.


Having started out by playing a medley of songs, ‘Shuffering and Shmiling’ and ‘Practise What You Preach’ by Fela and Barry White, respectively, to drive home his message, Murray-Bruce, in his contribution at a town hall meeting in Lagos organised by the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, said the money should be used to subsidise transportation for the masses.
The funds, he advised, would also enable transporters to buy energy-efficient buses and taxis.


“The Standards Organisation of Nigeria should make it a policy that only vehicles that are energy-efficient can come into Nigeria. We also ask that energy-efficient vehicles should be brought into Nigeria duty-free, so that the average person can buy these vehicles,” he said.


According to him, the federal government should also develop a transport policy to check the use of unsafe and unhealthy vehicles.
He also condemned the practice whereby the government brings in tricycles for the masses “while ministers use N20 million worth of SUVs.


“Now, if you bring those tricycles to Nigeria, a minister or a commissioner must ride it himself. You cannot bring it to us to ride. You must ride it yourself. Do not use N20million SUVs and provide tricycles for the rest of us. You can’t do that,” he said.
He estimated that Nigerians spend between N30 billion and N50 billion yearly on transportation and called on the federal government to provide $500 million yearly to subsidise it, as part of the $2 billion intervention.


Giving a breakdown, Murray-Bruce said, “The government must give us hope by providing a $500 million intervention fund for the transport sector. We want another $500 million to subsidise those going by bus.


“We want another $500 million for infrastructure, such as bus stops. Then, finally, we want another $500 million for the trucks, instead of these broken down trucks that destroy all our roads, making it impossible for us to get to places we want to be.
“In all, we want $2 billion every year for the next five years. Now, we make a deal; if you want to remove subsidy, go ahead and remove it but this is what you must do. You must subsidise the transport sector 100 per cent.”