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.”