Uber, taxify drivers to protest insecurity along driving routes

DRIVERS operating under Uber, Taxify and other e-Hailibg schemes under the aegis of the National Union of Professional e-Hailing Drivers Partners (NUPEDP) have vowed to embark on strike during the May Day celebration following discrepancies observed in the condition of service and engagements arrangement, including security concerns, unrealistic targets and poor pricing mechanism.

According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Monday in Lagos, the NUPEDP stated that its members have decided to embark on a nationwide strike following an exploitative and uncaring policy of the service providers.

In the statement signed by NUPEDP Secretary, Mutiu Ola Awosanya, the group vowed to downtool come May Day due to exploitative nature of many of the App’s companies.

“Due to exploitative and uncaring nature of the service providers, the Apps companies that merely serves as interface between the passengers (riders) and we (drivers), driver partners and investors; it has become necessary for us, after several appeals to them to fashion out ways and manner to start addressing the too numerous challenges we face daily in the course of our jobs, to make our appeals open to the larger public.

“Paramount among the several challenges that we face daily are in poor condition of service and engagements; Lack of concern for security measures; Unrealistic targets; Poor pricing mechanism and others.

“It has become necessary to withdraw our services on 1st May 2018, marking the May Day Celebration. This serves as protest towards the treatment we were being subjected to by these app companies.

“This withdrawal is the beginning of our agitation towards a better and more refined e-Hailing business in Nigeria. We hope that by this, well-meaning Nigerians and all apparatus of government within the transportation sub-sector of the economy would come to our aids.

“The strength in our unity cannot be over-emphasized. It is high time our huge investment is given serious considerations,” the association stated.