Thousands stranded as commercial bus drivers withdraw service on Badagry road

Thousands of passengers plying Badagry-Lagos road were on Monday stranded at various bus stops as commercial bus and cab drivers continued their strike in the area.

Our Correspondent reports that the commercial vehicle drivers had on March 4 withdrew their services in protest against alleged extortion and constant manhandling by touts.

They also alleged that the Lagos State Government (LASG) indiscriminately increased the levy on commercial vehicles from N500 to N800 without proper consultation.

The commercial bus drivers had on March 1, embarked on what they called “Cease Commuter Operation” on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway – from Badagry to Mile 2 –  following what they termed an unbearable increment in ticketing and brutality by RTEAN.

The drivers are still off the expressway while passengers remained stranded at various bus stops. It is still not certain when they will return to the roads.

They claim that both the RTEAN and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) unjustly increased the ticket cost from N500 to N800.

According to them, the situation is unbearable especially  considering the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the average citizen.

They urged the Lagos State Government to intervene.

Our Correspondent who monitored the situation on Monday observed that there were no commercial buses and cars along the route thereby making passengers to wait endlessly at bus stops.

Our Correspondent also reports that from Badagry Roundabout, Aradagun, MTN bus stop, Angel Gabriel, Agbara and Igbo Elerin bus stops, commercial motorcycles otherwise known as “Okada” were seen conveying passengers at exhorbitant fares..

Speaking with our Correspondent correspondent, some stranded passengers appealed to LASG to intervene as they could no longer get to their various destinations.

Mrs Felicia Oladapo, a 42-year-old mother of three who sells tomato in Mile 2, said she could not reach her place of business from Badagry due to the protest.

Oladapo said she could neither afford exhorbitant fares being charged by commercial motorcyclists.

“Initially, I thought it was going to be a short protest and that the needs of the commercial drivers would be met in no time as they are fighting for a just cause.

“It is unfortunate that since four days ago, their cries have fallen on deaf ears of those in power, I am becoming more agitated by the day because I haven’t had access to my business.

“We are begging the government to intervene and reduce the levy and listen to the drivers’ plights,’’ she said.

Mr Adewale Funsho, a business owner who deals in the sale and delivery of Laptop computers in the Popular Computer Village, Ikeja, was among the stranded passengers at Aradagun bus stop.

He said that the protesting drivers were making life miserable for the people because of misunderstanding between them, the government and their unions.

Funsho said that he had been spending heavily on transportation to Ikeja.

Mr Mautin Solomon, a student of Lagos State University, Ojo, who was stranded at Igbo Elerin bus stop, said he went to campus to process his NYSC application.

“I am confused, I have to go to Badagry to carry my belongings and from Badagry to orientation camp, it is almost impossible for me to make it to camp this week unless the issue of the tax levy hike is somehow resolved and trekking is not an option,” he said.

Mr Moshood Adeleke, a commercial bus driver, said that since government was not taking them seriously, the strike would involve commercial tricycle operators known as “Keke Maruwa’’ and Okada riders from tomorrow.

Adeleke said that this would enable the government to take them serious and look into the matter

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) on Monday said the stay-off-road action by commercial buses on the Lagos- Bagadry Road was unnecessary.

The Secretary of the  chapter, Alhaji Abdulrahman Amusan, told our Correspondent that the N800 ticket imposed on commercial buses in the state was for tax purposes.

Amusan told our Correspondent that  the strike was illegal, saying that the N800 ticket was introduced by government.

He added that most commercial bus drivers evaded tax.

“I do not know the legality of the strike  embarked upon by the bus drivers.”

“Government came up and said that the informal sector, to which drivers and conductors belong, was not paying taxes.

“It invited transport unions to a meeting and informed us that it has decided to introduce tickets on a daily basis for drivers, and urged us to keep data so that at the end of the year,  they will be issued tax certificates.

“Government also ordered that local governments should stop ticket issuance  henceforth.

“These driver plying the Lagos-Badagry route sometimes collect tickets from more than five local councils, and they spend not less than N200 on each ticket, but  government decided now to centralise the ticketing.  We consider the N800 reasonable,” he said.

He said that the drivers would henceforth be issued tax certificates after payment for a year.

“We have also called the bus drivers for a meeting to explain the benefits they stand to enjoy from buying the new ticket, but they have chosen not to understand,” he said.

He urged drivers to show understanding, saying that tax payment was important for the development of any state.

On alleged brutalisation and manhandling of drivers by members of the union, he said: “We have not received any complaint from anyone.

“None of these drivers has brought any complaint to the secretariat and was left unattended  to; let them forward such complaints to us and mention the location, then the state will send its task force to address same,” he said.