Ekiti drivers union shuns Fayemi directive, hikes transport fares

The Ekiti State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have shunned Governor Kayode Fayemi’s directive on the reduction of transport fares across the state as Ikere chapter of the drivers’ union have increased the transport fare along Ikere- Ado road from N150 to N200 barely one month after the governor gave the instruction.

Newsflash247 had earlier reported that State government had declared war against hike in prices of goods and services with a charge on transport unions and other relevant groups to make a downward review in the prices of goods and services.

The state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in a meeting with leaders of transport unions and other stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti, in November 30, 2020, expressed surprise at the sudden and rapid increase in transport fares and prices of commodities in the state.

The situation, according to the governor, has affected other sectors of the economy, resulting in increase in the price of goods and services, which has placed hardship on the people of the state.

Expressing the readiness of government to crash the prices of commodities in the state, Fayemi assured that a taskforce comprising representatives of various economic sectors would be constituted to monitor and regulate the prices of commodity across the state.

While promising that government would not fail in performing its statutory responsibility in creating and sustaining a business-friendly environment, the governor stressed that anyone that failed to comply with government regulations to make life comfortable for the people of the state would be sanctioned accordingly.

He disclosed that a further meeting had been slated to enable leadership of the transport unions meet with their members and resolve downward review of transport fares across the state.

But in what seems a deliberate attempt to disobey the directive of the state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the leadership of the NURTW on the reduction of transport fares across the state, the Ikere chapter of the drivers union have snubbed the governor’s order by increasing the transport fare along Ikere- Ado road from N150 to N200 barely one month after the governor gave the instruction.

Passengers were stunned when they were informed at the park on Monday 4th, January 2021, that they have increased the fare to N200.

The commuters who expressed disappointment and anger at the new development, in a chat with our reporter said “The government should find something to do about this nonsense that the drivers are doing before we take laws into our hands,” said one of the commuters. ”

They are indirectly pushing us to the wall and our response maybe devastating” remarked another commuter.

However, it took the early intervention of some prominent citizens of the town to avert the riot the announcement would have caused in Ikere Ekiti

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