Transporters to Form ALBON & AMTO Coalition

The Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON) and the Association of Mass Transit Operators of Nigeria (AMTO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the formation of a body known as ALBON & AMTO Coalition.

A statement by the Chairman, Steering Committee of ALBON & AMTO Coalition, Sir Dan Okemuo said “ALBON, as a party, is bringing all its members comprising major stakeholders in the Luxury Bus Industry in Nigeria namely: The Young Shall Grow Motor Ltd; Chisco Transport Nigeria Ltd; ABC Transport Plc; GUO Transport Nigeria Ltd; Bonyway Motors Nigeria Ltd; Ifesinachi Industries Nigeria Ltd; Cross Country City Bus Ltd etc into the coalition. 

“Similarly, AMTO, as a party, is bringing all its members, who are all major stakeholders in the Mass Transit Business in Nigeria, into the Coalition as well. These include, Peace Mass Transit Ltd; Okeson Nigeria Ltd; Onitsha South Mass Transit Ltd; Chukwuonye Mass Transit Ltd, etc.”   

The MoU signed on May 11, 2017 at Enugu stipulated that the ALBON & AMTO Coalition would henceforth be the official platform for the two registered associations in the transport business in Nigeria to speak with one voice on all issues of common interests in inter-state passengers transport business.

Specifically, the MOU, among other objectives, provides that the Coalition shall be the avenue not only to speak with one voice but also to address all such issues of common interests affecting all bus owners/operators in Nigeria.

These include: Problems of bad road network in the country; Problems of multiple taxes/levies on the inter-state passengers transport business in Nigeria; Problems of insecurity on the nation’s highway across the country.

Others are: Problems of high incidence of operational costs arising from high rate of foreign exchange fluctuation; fake motor spare parts; high cost of AGO and fuel, as well as high rate of import duties of 35% on inter-state passenger buses being imported into the country.

The statement said, “Furthermore, the MOU provides that the ALBON & AMTO Coalition will work towards the merger of the two associations and indeed seek to bring all bus owners/operators throughout the country into one United Inter-state Bus Association for all the bus owners/operators by the bus owners/operators in Nigeria.”

In seeking to promote and advance the common interest of all inter-state bus owners/operators in Nigeria, the MOU further states that the Coalition shall endeavor to reach out to all other inter-state passenger-bus owners/operators across the country. 

This, the statement said was because “one of the cardinal objectives of the Coalition is to unite all the bus owners/operators of inter-state passengers transport in Nigeria into one formidable Bus Owners Association for the benefit of all our prospective passengers, as well as the Bus Owners/Operators in Nigeria.

The parties then appointed a Steering Committee comprising eight members, led by Sir Dan Okemuo, President of ALBON and Chief G.N. Inyaba, the National President of AMTO to direct the affairs of the Coalition.