Why Ogba Tricycle Operators Are Angry With Govt, Agberos

BY FRIDAY ABASIFREKE EMMANUEL

 Amid the ongoing recession and high fuel prices, Ogba tricycle operators are angry with the Lagos state government led by Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the various tickets they are made to pay on daily basis.

Some of them who spoke to our correspondent described as high, what Agberos, under the cover of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and police collect from each of them daily.

Some of them lamented that it was an act of wickedness to treat people operating tricycles bought on hire purchase that way, adding that they were not even making as much as they pay each day.

One of the angry riders, John Okpe told our correspondent that he graduated from the Lagos Polytechnic, but had to join the business after a long period of fruitless search for jobs.

“I decided to make a living from riding this tricycle. It’s been lucrative but the taxes we pay are always huge and discouraging”.

Okpe said many riders are discouraged by the rampant extortion of tricycle riders but have kept on for lack of alternative.

“You know, the government increased the fuel price and there no much rise on the price of transport but we still pay the same taxes to the government and street boys.

It is most times discouraging but there’s nothing we can do; we just have to survive.” Okpe said.

Another rider who simply identified himself as Idowu also bemoaned the daily payments levied on tricycle riders, calling on the state government to do something about it.

According to him, looking into the challenge of tricycle riders would give a big boost to the common man, the major operators, especially given the challenging economic situation in the country.

“We pay over N2000 every day, we pay in the morning, afternoon and night, it is always one Levy or the other. If you don’t pay, they will fight with you, beat you or even destroy your tricycle.

“The levies are too much; many people have left this business because of this and they keep bringing up new ones on daily basis.

“We beg the governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene on this matter and help the poor masses”, he said

Mr Elvis Elijah, another Ogba Tricycle rider who plies the Berger route on added his voice to the challenges of riders.

He told The Eagle that tricycle riding became his last option after his attempt to earn a living via other means proved abortive.

Citing an instance with working as a security guard for years, but with nothing to show for it, he added, adding:

“Many of the security companies would employ you but the salary is usually too small. They will tell you that the companies they work for pay little, but the work is very risky”.

Elijah recounted several instances where he faced endangering situations, aside the regular misunderstanding with clients and customers at the duty posts.

“It was because of all of these that I decided to do keke business. I bought my own as second hand, but now, Agbero and police are making is difficult.

“They will just stop you, and if you are not ready to pay money, they will spoil your business that day”.

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He joined others to call on the government to consider the common man who had taken to driving tricycle as a last option.