Protesting BRT Drivers Leave Lagos Commuters Stranded

By Matthew Don with agency report
Thousands of commuters in Lagos were stranded on Monday, July 10 at various Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) bus stops and terminals across the state due to protest embarked upon by the bus drivers.
At the BRT bus terminals at Ikorodu, Ketu, Ojota, Palm Groove and Onipanu, the commuters waited in vain for the buses on long queues.
The drivers reportedly protested over the non-payment of their allowances, according to armadanews.com findings as well as the alleged termination of the appointments of recruiting agents by Primero Ltd, the firm operating the BRT buses.
Some of the drivers, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said Primero had released a memo on Friday, July 7 saying that it had terminated the appointment of the four agents recruiting drivers for the organisation.
“There has been no leave granted to any bus driver in the past one year, even when we work for six days per week.
“Primero sent a memo last Friday saying that it had terminated the appointments of the four agents recruiting bus drivers for the organisation.
“Those drivers still interested in the job are now required to reapply directly to Primero, if they are still interested in working with the company,” one of the drivers said.
Another driver rued the fate of drivers’ pensions under the new arrangement.
He said the drivers’ tax was always deducted from their monthly salary, but they have no evidence of a tax receipt to show that they have actually been paying taxes.
He also complained that the drivers have not been given any leave allowance.
According to agency report,the drivers said that Primero was not their problem, but the agents that recruited them.
They have therefore appealed to the state government to come to their aid in resolving the issue.
Efforts to speak with the Managing Director, Primero Transport Services, Fola Tinubu, proved abortive as his phone numbers were switched off.