Commercial drivers in Ogun State are protesting the hike in daily union dues from N4,000 to N6,000.
The drivers, who operate in the Mowe-Ibafo-Arepo axis, claim that the sudden increase adds to their financial burden, which is already exacerbated by the surge in fuel prices and the skyrocketing cost of vehicle parts.
“We can’t afford this hike, it’s too much for us,” said one of the protesting drivers. “We are already struggling to make ends meet, and this increase will only make things worse.”
The protesters, predominantly minibus drivers locally known as Korope drivers, lamented that the hike in fuel prices and the excessive levies imposed by transport union workers, commonly referred to as Agberos, have become unbearable.
In response to the allegations, the Ogun State chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) denied any knowledge of a formal increase in levies.
The association’s state secretary, Tiwalade Akingbade, asserted that RTEAN had not sanctioned any such hike.
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“If such an action has been taken by anybody, it is illegal. We shall investigate this and justice shall be done,” Akingbade said.
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Akingbade further emphasized that the association oversees 95 chapels and over 250 units across the state, assuring the public that any unauthorized levies would be addressed.
The drivers are calling for a reversal of the hike and a reduction in the excessive levies imposed by the transport union workers. They also want the government to address the issue of multiple checkpoints and extortion.
The protest is still ongoing, and the drivers have vowed to continue until their demands are met.
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