Lagos State Government, as part of its effort to empower women in the state on Sunday, September 28, 2014 said it had employed additional 80 women as mass transit drivers, with Lagos Bus Asset Management Company, LAGBUS.
The state has commenced training for 998 drivers of LAGBUS on accident prevention skills.
LAGBUS managing director, Mr. Babatunde Disu, disclosed this at the training for the fourth batch of LAGBUS captains at the Public Service Public Service Staff Development Centre, PSSDC Magodo.
Disu said the firm is “committed to creating a modern, secure and sustainable bus transportation service designed for the special needs of Lagos, while also providing equal opportunities for the female gender.”
Meanwhile, the general manager for fleet operation, LAGBUS, Mr. Seyi Osiyemi while explaining the motive for the employment of the female drivers, said “We employed the female drivers to encourage the women who have interest in driving the LAGBUS buses.”
He added: “These 80 female have started their training on driving from the basics. These ladies do not have driving experience. We will first train them on how to drive car. After that, they will graduate to smaller buses; after which they will learn how to drive the big bus.
“We expect this process to take between 3- 6 months. The ultimate plan is to have them driving the LAGBUS, the red bus. It takes a lot of time for people to embrace it.”
He said 200 women applied for the job but 80 were shortlisted to start.
“We had about 200 women who filled application forms, so we short-listed and started with these first 80. We are also recruiting more males because we are refurbishing 180 buses which will be added to the fleet,” he said.
