Commuters stranded as Iyana Ipaja commercial drivers protest outrageous levies by NURTW
Commuters stranded as Iyana Ipaja commercial drivers protest outrageous levies by NURTW
Commuters stranded as Commercial bus drivers plying Iyana Ipaja/ Ikotun route on Tuesday withdrew service in protest against the outrageous levies they pay to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
The drivers who said that there is nothing to show for the daily levies running into tens of thousands, said they were tired of continuing with such unwarranted levies
Commuters were seen at every bus stop between Ikotun and Iyana Ipaja as the drivers turn back all commercial buses and tricycles who disobeyed the call
It was learnt that tricycle operators pay as much as four thousand naira daily before they can move on the road
Commercial buses according to some commercial drivers, pay upwards of between seven to eight thousand naira on daily basis before they can move their buses on the road.
Lamenting, the drivers said there was nothing to show for the huge sums of money collected from the drivers 8n terms of assistance to commercial drivers who lose their jobs or whose vehicles break down
They added that the gains of the levies are not seen on the roads construction nor palliative to cushion the effect of bad roads on their vehicles.
They fumed that the officials of the NURTW build mansions and hotels everywhere across the country while the contributors of the money they spend live in penury
Their grouse also include that drivers are often beaten even as their vehicles are vandalised in the course of collecting the levies which they said was illegal
Tunde, a bus driver said, “God don catch Dem today. They will beat us as if we don’t have families.
“They spoil our motor because they want to collect money and they will still force you to pay that money. If you go to police, they will win you there
“I thank God that we are now wise,” he stated.
