Over 1000 members of the painted Commercial Taxi Drivers Association Abuja ( OTDAA), took a decision during a general congress meeting held at Wuse zone 6, Abuja, to embark on a peaceful protest to express their grievances over? the newly introduced Federal Capital Territory (FCT) operators’ license scheme, which they said is a ploy to send them out of business.
COTDAA’s chairman, Shugaba Shehu Yar’adua, reveals? that the association is not against the licensing of transport companies by the FCT but COTDAA members should be allowed to operate as a body under the supervision of relevant authorities, instead? of compelling them to operate under new operators.
“Our problem is that those companies that were licensed to improve the transport sector in Abuja are not capable of employing all our drivers, or are they saying we should park our cars?’’ he added. He went further to say that a large number of? taxi drivers are graduates who took up the job as a result of unemployment in the country, adding that the scheme is a strategy to send them out of their means of livelihood. He also revealed that the association has met and? briefed the council. Also, it has fixed August 29 to stage a peaceful protest to express their grievances.
Members of the association appealed to the FCT minister to revisit the scheme and possibly call them to a round table meeting in order to iron out grey areas regarding the implementation of the scheme.
FCT? Director of Public Transportation, Adewale Alebiosu, had earlier assured the public that the scheme will not render commercial drivers jobless but ensure safe, efficient and affordable transport services in the territory.
LEADERSHIP WEEKEND spoke with some commercial taxi drivers in Abuja and this is what they had to say…
‘’ Painted commercial cabs should be allowed to continue running here in the FCT. The amount they are asking us to pay how much? to drive the new vehicles they want to introduce is too high; we cannot afford it. I strongly believe that this new scheme will not be successful because it would leave most of us jobless and it would increase the rate of armed robbery. As I speak with you, I am sponsoring two of my younger siblings in the higher institution. I am only able to do that from the cab business, so if the government should stop us from doing this, how do I continue to take care of my siblings and myself?’’ Audu Obosi lamented.
Mr Moses Peter stated that things would be difficult for them if the government banned the usual painted commercial cabs. ‘’we are working with our personal cars and what the government is saying is that they want to bring new cars to replace ours. I don’t think it is going to work because a lot of us depend on this job and someone wants to take it away from us. It wont work!’’ He said.
Mr. Emmanuel Jacob also stated that it would not work. ‘This is mission impossible’ he said. He went further to say that the government was trying to copy the Lagos state system but? here in Abuja, it won’t be possible to stop the painted commercial taxi from operating. He said that government can introduce the new scheme but shouldn’t stop them from operating along with the new cabs.??? ?
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