Union seeks National Assembly, ministry’s intervention in e-hailing industry regulation

For proper co-ordination and regulation of the e-hailing industry, the Professional E-hailing Drivers and Private-Owners Association of Nigeria (PEDPAN) has sought the intervention of the National Assembly and the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to meet its demands.

The group lamented that it was undisputed that the government had not really given the sector the required attention despite several calls by the union for proper regulation.

It said lack of government regulation and protection had been identified as a propelling drive for dictatorial application (app) arbitrary standard, nonchalant attitude to drivers’ safety, security and loss of investment to e-hailing drivers, drive partners and fleet management companies, in an industry that regularly employs graduates.

National President, PEDPAN, Jolaiya Moses, at the union’s first delegate conference, held in Lagos and termed ‘Restructuring’, said government regulating the sector and hastening the certification of the PEDPAN as a trade union in the e-hailing industry by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity would attract investors and protects drivers’ welfare.

He said the movement grew speedily out of a dire need to protect drivers’ common interest and advance their welfare, owing to unethical business model and practice by operating dictatorial app companies.

He urged the government to show interest, willingness and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to achieve the desired change that would alleviate the suffering of the drivers, attract investors and generate revenue for the government.

The PEDPAN boss, who said the union had embarked on rebranding, called on the app companies to review their poor-pricing system, unlawful deactivation of drivers, proper profiling of riders, reduce humongous commission charged, synergise with drivers’ union and implement policies that are favourable to all stakeholders.

The union’s Kwara State Co-ordinator, Olutola Ibitoye, who was optimistic about a better outcome from the conference, said: “This will create more awareness, especially the government and our partners that they cannot come and lord over us here. They can come through us to have regulations that can fit into the market like good pricing, profiling for riders, security and pension schemes. We expect that after certain years, we have something we can fall back on.”