E-Hailing Drivers Protest Exploitative Conditions, Say “We Are Not Slaves”

By Simeon OSAJIE

The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUPBTN), Edo State Chapter, in conjunction with e-hailing drivers, today staged a peaceful protest in Benin City, the state capital calling on app-based transport companies – Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive – to treat drivers with dignity and stop what they described as exploitative practices.

The drivers, who carried different placards with inscriptions such as “E-Hailing Drivers in Benin Are Humans, Have Families And Responsibilities And Cannot Survive With Your Unreasonable Prices and Exploitative Commission, Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive”, “Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive, Edo Drivers Are Not Your Slaves” and “Bolt, Uber, and In-Drive Reduce Your Commission And Increase The Pricing,” gathered at the State secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) to express their grievances.

Speaking during the protest, Edo State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Russell Eghaghe, said the situation had become unbearable for drivers, who he said are being treated unfairly by the companies.

According to him, “We have been having problems with the app companies. You know that where two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. The drivers are not happy with the current state of pricing with these app companies, coupled with the fact that the local task force is also harassing us. So one of the major reasons we are here is to plead with the government to consider us in decision-making.

“Many of us cannot even go to the Central Park at Obaghavbeye to pick or drop passengers. The local government task force will arrest our drivers, saying we must come and buy tickets. We want you (the media) to help us air our pains.

“How can a driver carry a passenger from BIU to Ugbor Road for N3,200, and from that amount, the app company will collect about 25%?  When they are increasing their percentage, they don’t notify the drivers. When they are reducing their price, they don’t inform the drivers. We are just there. But look at the tools we are using, data and fuel everything has increased. Yet, all these expenses fall on the drivers. Then they complain that we are working with rickety cars. How can we repair our cars with that kind of situation?

“We are here to use this medium to tell them that they should call us for a roundtable discussion.”

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the union, Comrade Victor Shuah, raised security concerns, stating that while drivers are rigorously profiled by the companies, the same is not done for passengers – a situation he said has led to tragic incidents.

“You see some passengers even use other people’s phone numbers to register. Some use names like ‘Killer’ or even ‘Devil’, yet they are not profiled. A lot of us have lost our lives, others have lost valuables, including cars.

“Once you report anything that threatens your life to Bolt, they will delete your profile. The same Bolt has told us that if you have any problem with a rider that threatens your life, you should not report to the police. But they cannot protect you.”

Addressing the protesters, the Edo State Chairman of NUJ, Comrade (Dr) Festus Alenkhe, urged them to remain peaceful and avoid allowing miscreants to hijack the protest. He assured the drivers of the support of journalists in the state.

Comrade Alenkhe also advised the leadership of the union to engage the Edo State Government through the Ministry of Transportation in order to work out a proper payment structure and address the issue of harassment from local government task forces.