E-hailing drivers appeal for inclusion in FG’s free CNG conversion scheme

The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has appealed for inclusion in the Federal Government’s free conversion of commercial vehicles to compressed natural gas (CNG) scheme.

The South-West Vice President, Mr. Kolawole Aina, made this appeal in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos on Friday.

The Federal Government had, in July, commenced the free conversion of petrol and diesel-powered commercial vehicles to compressed natural gas-powered mode in a bid to cut the cost of transportation nationwide.

It started the exercise in Abuja and Lagos, urging commercial transport owners to key into the scheme by bringing their vehicles to be converted.

The government said that the use of CNG would reduce the cost of transportation by over 40 percent.

It said commercial transporters under their different unions, including the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, would benefit from the initiative.

The AUATON vice president said that the federal government should consider including AUATON in the scheme.

He said that AUATON was a trade union like the NURTW and RTEAN and should, therefore, also be captured in the scheme.

According to Aina, AUATON is registered and recognised by the federal government, so it should not be sidelined.

‘’Honestly, as you can see, so many drivers are leaving the business.

“The small number of us still remaining in the business are looking for a way to even convert our vehicles to CNG.

‘’The federal government has not included e-hailing drivers in this free scheme because we are seen as private transporters, but later on the government will want to talk to e-hailing companies to reduce their prices.

‘’Now, if these companies reduce their prices, who is going to bear the brunt—is it the app company or the drivers? How would the economy of the country grow?’’ he queried.

According to the union leader, if the issue of conversion to CNG is removed from AUATON members, they will be able to cater for their needs, in spite of the high cost of vehicle parts.

Aina also reacting to the increase in fares by the App companies.

He said that each time the companies increased fares, there was the need to ask for the parameters used.

He said that the increase did not reflect positively on the drivers; rather, they were ripped off with a high rate of commission and number of trips.

The vice president condemned the inconsistency in placing drivers on a high rate of commission that was neither helping them nor the economy.

He said that the app companies collect commissions as high as 32 percent or 28 percent from drivers.

Aina said that this was affecting the drivers negatively, especially with the economy.

‘’The high rate of commission is too much for the drivers; please, we are appealing to the app companies that there should be a review, especially with the high cost of living in the country.

‘’Drivers are struggling to meet up with this demand, and that is why we have many of them dying due to fatigue,’’ the union leader said.