TheNewsGuru

Tag: Drivers

  • Heavy unemployment looming as Bolt suspends over 11,000 drivers over safety issues

    Heavy unemployment looming as Bolt suspends over 11,000 drivers over safety issues

    Bolt, a ride-hailing company has suspended more than 11,000 drivers in Nigeria and South Africa in less than a year for violating its code of conduct.

    The move comes after the company faced criticism for its lack of driver and passenger safety in the region.

    About 6,000 drivers were suspended in South Africa and 5,000 in Nigeria. The company has been accused of holding its drivers to lax standards in Africa, and these recent suspensions suggest a shift towards stricter enforcement

    This crackdown follows a series of disturbing incidents involving Bolt drivers in South Africa. In May 2024, a driver was arrested for allegedly stabbing two women after a disagreement over their drop-off location.

    This case, along with the conviction of another former Bolt driver for kidnapping, rape, and assault, sparked outrage on social media and threats of legal action against the company.

    “The company will continue to permanently suspend drivers and riders who have been reported for misconduct from accessing the platform,” Bolt said in a statement. “Whether these measures will be enough to rebuild trust with riders remains to be seen.”

  • Minimum wage: I can’t afford to pay my four drivers N100,000 per month, Akume shamelessly says

    Minimum wage: I can’t afford to pay my four drivers N100,000 per month, Akume shamelessly says

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) George Akume, has lamented that the wage increase demands being made by organized labour are not realistic.

    Akume said this in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with the National Executive Council, NEC, of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN.

    The former Benue State Governor appealed to the Christian community for support as the tripartite Committee on minimum wage continues with negotiations.

    According to him, paying a minimum wage of N100,000 to his drivers will be a difficult responsibility.

    “I can’t afford to pay my driver one hundred thousand because they are four,” Akume lamented.

    He decried the demands made by the organised labour, adding, “Where do we get that money from?”

  • STRIKE! Lagosians stranded as BRT drivers stop work

    STRIKE! Lagosians stranded as BRT drivers stop work

    Drivers of the Lagos State Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) embarked on a strike action on Sunday, following non-payment of their salaries.

    The strike action was embarked upon by drivers of Primero Transport Services Limited who claimed they have not received their December salaries and there was no inkling that the January salaries would be paid.

    Following the strike, many passengers using the services were stranded at various bus terminals in Ikorodu, and this brought about long queues.

    According to report, some passengers were going back and forth lamenting the situation.

    One of them who spoke at the Ikorodu – Oshodi stand said he was to attend the naming ceremony of his grandson at Festac but the strike action has jeopardized this, “I planned to board coastal buses but it was N700 and that was why I rushed here to join the queues so that I can pay N375 to Oshodi but I have been on the queue for hours without hope.

    “The only thing I can do is to rerun home and greet my people on the phone. Already, I have spent N700 as fares to Ikorodu garage and will spend another N700 to return home.

    “I have sold my car because of the increase in pump price. “ He said.

    On the Ikorodu – CMS queue, another passenger, Mrs Godwin Esther, said she was going for an appointment at Victoria Island, “I cannot afford the fares for commercial buses and all I can do is to reschedule the appointment. Had I known that the drivers are on strike, I wouldn’t have bothered coming here, “said the stranded passenger.

    A BRT driver simply identified as Jo said he may resign his appointment with the company soon, “salaries are not paid as at when due and the company surcharges us at any slightest opportunity, “ he said.

    The same scenario was witnessed at Costain as many passengers were stranded.

    A staff of the transport company who pleaded anonymity said the strike commenced on Saturday.

    “The strike started yesterday (Saturday). They are on strike because their December pay has not been given to them,” he said.

    Asked how long the strike was likely to last, the Primero employee said, “The matter may be resolved tomorrow (Monday). I don’t think it will linger for too long.”

    At press time, Primero’s Managing Director, Mr Fola Tinubu, could not be reached for comment.

  • Just In: More ‘wahala’ for Lagosians as commercial drivers begin protest against LASTMA officers

    Just In: More ‘wahala’ for Lagosians as commercial drivers begin protest against LASTMA officers

    …commuters stranded

    More ‘wahala’ for Lagosians as commercial drivers begin massive protest against LASTMA officers over extortion.

    Passengers at various bus stops and motor parks in Lagos State are stranded as a result of the protest by commercial drivers at Mangoro bus stop Monday, November 13.

    Commercial drivers went on strike over the alleged extortion by members of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the state’s Task Force.

  • Fuel subsidy removal: Means of survival a state of hopelessness for our members – Uber, Bolt drivers

    Fuel subsidy removal: Means of survival a state of hopelessness for our members – Uber, Bolt drivers

    The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON) have called on the FG to review the removal of fuel subsidy which they say has increased hardships for their members.

    The union in a statement by its chairman Media and Publicity Committee, Jossy Olawale, said that the app companies had refused to adjust fare prices to profit the workers.

    They also claimed that with the removal of subsidy app-based transport workers are “ subsidizing” their own transport fares.

    “App-based transport workers in Nigeria are facing the worst hardship of their lives as a result of fuel subsidy removal and lack of ability to adjust our transport price anytime there is an increase in the price of fuel just the way other transporters can quickly adjust to the reality.

    “The app companies Uber, Bolt, Lagride, Indriver and others fix the price and their commission, leaving the drivers to their losses; the situation of our drivers today is that we are the ones subsidising the transport fare for the riders in Nigeria.”

    They added that the removal of subsidy has left members in a state of hopelessness, citing that their members across Nigeria were predominantly unemployed graduates, who could not find jobs as a result of the rate of unemployment in the country.

    “However, the means of survival is now a state of hopelessness for our members, whose daily operational cost is largely dependent on petrol.”

  • Our contract is with individual drivers, not MC Oluomo – INEC

    Our contract is with individual drivers, not MC Oluomo – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its contract for logistics delivery for the forthcoming general elections in Lagos State is with individual drivers and not with Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo.

    INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, made the clarification in an interview with NAN on Friday in Abuja.

    Okoye was reacting to the raised concerns and controversies on plan by INEC to engage Lagos Park Management Committee under MC Oluomo leadership for transportation of election materials and personnel in the forthcoming elections in the state.

    He said the role of road transport union was to assist the commission to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with commission and the drivers to be engaged for election duty.

    He urged Nigerians to stop linking INEC with an individual, saying the commission’s commitment was to the individual drivers.

    “This commission has contract with individual drivers. The National Union of Road Transport Workers has no vehicles. So, we signed individual contract with all the persons who are going to provide vehicles for us.

    “For this election we are going to hire at least 138,000 vehicles. We are going to hire over 4,000 boats and we are going to hire over 8,000 motorcycles.

    “We are going to sign individual contract with all these people. The only thing the road transport union workers does for us is that we have what we call a Memorandum of Understanding with them, so that if for instance any of the members goes AWOL, they will help us track the person down.

    “If somebody does not report on time, they will help us find out why the person has not reported on time. But our contract is with individual drivers,” he said.

    Okoye urged Nigerians to stop linking INEC with an individual, saying the commission’s commitment was to the individual drivers.

    “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State has never said that we are going to work with individual you have mentioned.

    “What he said was that if there’s no NURTW in Lagos, but Park Management Committee, that we are going to work with the committee, because we cannot be seen to be breaking the law.

    “So, that is the issue. People should banish this whole idea of linking the commission to an individual.

    “Our commitment is to the individual drivers that are going to sign a contract with and we are also going to take oath of neutrality and oath of allegiance to the commission, and that is where we stand on the matter,” he said.

    Several individual and groups, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have raised concern on the use of the Park Management Committee in Lagos by INEC

  • Police nab two posing as Uber drivers, withdrawing N2.4m from passenger’s account

    Police nab two posing as Uber drivers, withdrawing N2.4m from passenger’s account

    The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two men, Sunday Gabriel, 29, and 24-year old Kenneth Agbehi posing as Uber drivers to rob unsuspecting passengers in some parts of the state.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Lawal, who disclosed this during a press briefing at the police headquarters in Ikeja on Monday, March 14, 2022, said the suspects held a female victim hostage on February 27, around 8 pm and robbed her of an ATM card, cash and other valuable items.

    According to the police spokesman, the suspects were tracked down on Victoria Island and a locally-made pistol as well as their operational vehicles recovered from them.

    “The suspects thereafter unlawfully withdrew the sum of N2,400,000 from the victim’s bank account.

    “Following diligent investigation carried out by police operatives, the suspects were nabbed in their hideout on Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island where they were planning another operation.

    “Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and several others they had committed earlier.

    “Exhibits recovered from them include: one locally-made pistol, three live cartridges, one Toyota Camry with registration number AHL 571 FE and one Toyota Corolla saloon car with registration number EPE 32 GG.

    “The suspects are in police custody,” the command’s spokesperson, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu said.

  • Truck drivers block border between Taraba and Benue states

    Truck drivers block border between Taraba and Benue states

    The border between Taraba and Benue states on Monday were blocked by truck drivers following illegal extortion and illegal checkpoints by security operatives on transported food items and passengers.

    Chairman of the truck drivers, Wukari Branch, Wunuken Hosea, explained that the extortion on the Benue axis of the boundary is contributing to the high cost of grains across the country.

    In his words: “Despite dialogues with security operatives and revenue collectors on agricultural produce, the trend has continued unabated with a huge increase in the amount demanded from us.”

    Hosea pointed out that there is no going back on the blockade until the relevant authorities address their challenges.

    The protest resulted in gridlock on the Taraba and Benue boundary which leads to the South-Eastern and western parts of Nigeria.

    It was gathered that this is not the first time that truck drivers are embarking on such protest at the same spot with little or no effort to address their plights.

  • Fear of IPOB: INEC ad hoc staff, drivers, others for Nov 6 guber poll in Anambra resign

    Fear of IPOB: INEC ad hoc staff, drivers, others for Nov 6 guber poll in Anambra resign

    There seems to be palpable fears not just amongst the residents of Anambra State but the ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) saddled with the responsibility of conducting the Saturday, November 6 governorship election in the South Eastern state.

    The panic, TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered may not be unconnected with a possible attack on voters and INEC workers by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    According to reports, some ad hoc staff and drivers have already tendered their resignations for safety reasons.

    INEC had, between May and early June, announced the increment of polling units in Anambra State, which used to be 4,608, to 5,720.

    Besides, the commission announced that it would require about 10,000 ad hoc workers for the election.

    TNG reports that few days ago, IPOB issued a statement through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, that if its leader, Nnamdi Kanu who is presently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), is not released on November 4, it would declare another sit-at-home in Igbo land between November 5 and 10. Meanwhile, the election was scheduled for November 6.

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday, declared that nothing would stop the conduct of Anambra State governorship election.

    Also, Governor Willie Obiano had promised that nothing would stop the November 6 poll. Both leaders insisted that the security agents were equal to the task of securing the INEC staff and voters.

    Obiano spoke in Awka, the state capital, through his Information and Public Enlightenment Commissioner C. Don Adinuba.

    However, the assurances of safety from the president, governor and security forces does not seem enough as a senior INEC staff in the state who pleaded anonymity regretted that the commission was facing a serious challenge ahead of the election.

    The source said: “That is our situation now. Nothing seems to be working for us in this election because no one wants to lose his or her life because of IPOB.

    “It is a big challenge facing us. Many of the ad hoc workers already recruited are throwing in the towel because of the IPOB threats; even the drivers, who we always use to distribute the materials.

    “All of them contacted, told us they are not interested. So, our hands are tied. These people called IPOB have really dealt with the people of the Southeast.

    “If nothing is done urgently, the election we’ve been preparing for, for so long a time may not hold; even if it holds, who is prepared to risk his or her life to come out?,” the source said in an interview with The Nation.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, did not respond to inquiries as at press time on the resignations and INEC’s preparedness for the gubernatorial exercise.

  • FAAN issues new directives to drivers on picking up arriving passengers

    FAAN issues new directives to drivers on picking up arriving passengers

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Monday announced that drivers are prohibited from picking up passengers at the frontage of airport terminals but are to pick them up only at car parks.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that this was disclosed in a statement on Monday by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu.

    Yakubu in the statement said drivers must park and wait inside the car parks while arriving passengers walk down to the car parks to board their vehicles.

    “The Authority will like to emphasize that in line with government protocols, arriving passengers are to walk down to designated car parks to board their vehicles. No driver is permitted to pick up arriving passenger(s) at the frontage of the terminals.

    “All drivers must park and wait inside the car parks while arriving passengers walk down to the car parks to board their vehicles.

    “For departing passengers, drivers are only allowed to drop off passengers in front of the terminals. They are not permitted to wait for any reason after dropping their passengers, it is only a “Drop Off” zone,” the statement read in part.

    The agency, therefore, called for compliance with all laid down protocols on COVID-19 to ensure the safety of all airport users to ease facilitation and enhance the safety of all airport users.

    “The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hereby advises passengers, drivers, and other airport users, particularly those at the General Aviation Terminal, Lagos, to always comply with all laid down protocols on COVID-19 to ensure safety of all airport users,” the statement added.