Residents lament 100 per cent hike in transport fares

By Osagie Otabor, Akure

Ondo State residents have cried out over the 100 per cent hike in transport fares in Akure and other parts of the state.

A taxi drop within a short distance that used to cost N50 now costs N100.

The hike was occasioned by last Sunday’s increment in the daily dues taxi and bus drivers paid to either the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) or the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

Taxi drivers that used to pay N250 daily were made to pay N700.

Receipts made available showed that N300 was for the state government, N100 for the national leadership of NURTW or RTEAN, while the N300 for the state leadership did not reflect in any receipt.

Akure residents said it was painful that the hike came at a time civil servants were paid half salary.

They urged the government to redeploy  the free bus pupils enjoyed during the administration of ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The Special Adviser on Transport to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Tobi Ogunleye, said the N300 payment for the state government was not expected to result in hike in transport fares.

He said the transport unions had not been remitting any money to the coffers of the government, which was why the N300 revenue was introduced.

Ogunleye said: “The issue of transport is not the business of the government. We didn’t have to interfere in the fixing of transport fares. It has to be determined by market forces.

“We don’t control the unions. They are unions under the law. If Okada riders are paying revenue to the state, there is nothing wrong in the motorists paying.

“We had meetings with the unions and other private operators and came about this consolidated ticket. The price for the taxi is N300. We sold it to them for N200. There is N100 commission for anybody that buys. We didn’t ask them to go and increase the fares. For buses, we sell to them for N300 and they are selling for N500.

“I have met with the unions and told them that we are not part of their business and the people cannot be allowed to suffer. They agreed that the status quo will remain.”