Commuters stranded as commercial drivers protest NURTW’s outrageous levies in Iyana Ipaja

Commuters were stranded yesterday as commercial bus drivers plying Iyana Ipaja/Ikotun and Iyana Ipaja/Igando route withdrew their services in protest against the outrageous levies they pay to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
   
The drivers, who said that there was nothing to show for the daily levies running into millions, said they were tired of continuing with such unwarranted levies.
  
Commuters were seen at every bus stop between Ikotun, Isheri, Igando and Iyana Ipaja as the drivers turned back all commercial buses and tricycles, who disobeyed the call.
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It was learnt that tricycle operators pay as much as N4,000 daily before they can operate on the road. Also, commercial buses pay between N7,000 and N8,000 daily.
  
Lamenting, the drivers said there was nothing to show for the huge sums of money collected from the drivers in terms of assistance to commercial drivers who lost their jobs or whose vehicles broke down.
   
They added that the gains of the levies are not seen on 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 live in penury.
  
Their grouses 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.
   
A bus driver, Segun Ola, 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 the police, they will win you there. I thank God that we are now wise.” 
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