Several Passengers today rushed to Gaagaa bus terminal in Arua town to book for travel to Kampala while others came ready to travel following the removal of the ban on operations of the company buses by government.

Gaagaa buses were temporarily banned from plying routes in the Country three weeks ago following a series of accidents that claimed lives of more than 20 passengers.

The Transport Licensing Board issued a one-month ban on all Gaagaa Buses as they were to undergo road worthiness inspection and re-testing of the drivers, but this was reduced to three weeks after continuous negotiations with government.

A week ago other Bus companies in the country threatened to protest the continued ban on Gaagaa buses citing pressure on them and unfair treatment of Gaagaa but this was later called off after they were reportedly assured that the ban would be lifted soon.

When this URN reporter visited the Arua terminal today, passengers were seen booking for immediate travel to Kampala, but the company is to resume operations from Monday with day buses taking off at 7:30am. Some of the passengers and employees of Gaagaa bus company expressed happiness over the resumption of bus operations.  

Meanwhile in a brief acknowledgement of lifting of the ban on Gaagaa bus travels, the RDC Arua Peter Debele gave this confirmation that the buses will resume on Monday. The RDC however expressed sympathy over the loss incurred in the three weeks’ period during which Gaagaa bus operations were banned.

Since the government put a temporary ban on the operations of Gaagaa bus company, which has the biggest fleet in West Nile, many passengers who had been using them postponed their journeys while others resorted to using other bus.The ban also increased pressure on other bus companies, forcing some of them to send away excess customers when the buses got full. It’s not yet clear as to what terms have been negotiated for Gaagaa bus to resume its operations as telephone calls to the Arua terminal Manager went unanswered.

-URN

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