Commuters in Lagos State will from today, Monday, October 31, be in a difficult situation as the Joint Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria (JDWAN) have commenced a seven day strike action to protest against the activities of touts popularly known as “agberos” in the state.
The drivers’ union had earlier given the state government an ultimatum to meet their demands which included the immediate withdrawal of the touts from the roads and stopping them from collecting excessive levies from them, giving the government a Sunday, October 30 deadline to resolve the issues or they would embark on a strike from Monday.
While speaking at a press conference on Sunday evening, the National President of JDWAN, Akintade Abiodun, said representatives of the association met with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola and the motor park management liaison officer, Hakeem Odumosu (AIG retd) in the company of JDWAN legal adviser, Barrister Ayo Ademiluyi, to resolve the matter to no avail.
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He said the essence of the meeting was, however, defeated as all the drivers got “threats upon threats,” hence the strike will take place as scheduled.
“The leadership of the joint Drivers Welfare Association of Nigeria met with Lagos State government representatives, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation Engr. Abdulhafiz Toriola and the motor park management liaison officer Mr Hakeem Odumosu (AIG retd) in the company of our legal adviser barrister Ayo Ademiluyi,” Akintade said.
“The Lagos State government has since made no concrete response to JDWAN demands, rather, their representatives only asked for another letter to be submitted on Monday, which is regarded as a joke on our part, having released press statements with concise demands.
“We also honoured the demand to deliver physical copies of the letters to the Lagos State government, the SSS, the Commissioner of Police and Commissioner for Transportation respectively.
“The retired AIG also expressly said they can’t get rid of bus stop to bus stop extortionists because they are working for the state government.
“He also suggested that MC Oluomo can organize thugs to attack us and we will be blamed or credited for the violence, all in a failed fear-mongering tactic, also the assistant to the Minister for Transportation threatened to arrest us and our lawyer while in their office.
“It is sad that the representatives of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu are mocking Lagos drivers’ predicament and are disinterested in stopping the major factor causing high cost of living in Lagos, by asking for another letter and demanding that we call off the boycott without addressing our five demands.
“Drivers and commuters have had a brimful of extortion and harassment from the motor park management and caretaker committee thugs popularly known as Agbero.