Fuel price increase: Uber, Bolt drivers worry, call for govt. support

The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON) has expressed dismay over the continuous hardship its members face due to the increase in fuel pump price.

It said on Wednesday that despite the increase, the app companies had refused to adjust fare price to profit the workers.

The union, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, Mr Jossy Olawale, expressed worry that the means of survival of its members had become challenging.

“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 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,“ the union said.

It said that AUATWON members across Nigeria were predominantly unemployed graduates, who could not find jobs as a result of the rate of unemployment in the country.

According to the union, its members are unwilling to engage in fraud and other illegitimate means, and choose to work as e-hailing drivers as means of survival.

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

“Also, in less than two months, this cost has gone up by over 350 per cent to 400 per cent respectively, depending on the part of Nigeria one lives, as today, fuel is now sold between N570 and N715 per litre in this country,“ it said.

The union, therefore, urged the Federal Government to support its members in the area of grant to explore alternative fueling, including use of Compressed Natural Gas.

“Our members cannot afford the cost of conversion as it were, and we want the government to support in this direction along with other measures as quickly as possible, before the situation will fully become unbearable.

“We are also calling on the government to revisit the removal of subsidy considering the multiplier effect on the economy and deteriorating living standard of the poor,” the union said.

The union recalled that it had in June embarked on a nationwide strike to demand for 200 per cent fare increase, and 10 per cent commission charge from the app companies, as against the 25 per cent after subsidy removal.

It said, “However, the app companies have remained adamant they can only increase fare between 25 per cent and 40 per cent and still maintained 20 per cent to 25 per cent commission, respectively.”