Bolt, Uber Drivers Protest Unfair Treatments , Shot Down Services In Edo

Hundreds of Bolt and Uber drivers have shutdown their services for the third day in Edo State following what they tagged unfair treatments by their managers.

The drivers in their large numbers further protested round the major streets in Benin, bearing placards of various inscriptions that read thus “fuel price is high”, better deal: Bolt and Uber drivers demand better deal in Edo State”, causing gridlocks in the city centre of the state.

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Edo State council secretariat in Benin City, one of the Bolt drivers, Chika Eric said they have been enslaved by Bolt and Uber respectively.

He said considering the economic reality, Bolt and Uber should have considered the drivers by reducing their commission to 10 percent rather than the usual 25 percent so that they could make some savings for themselves.

Eric said due to the unfair conditions which they have operated in, they have decided to put their services on hold pending when their enlisted eight conditions are meant.

He listed their conditions as reduction of the commission paid to Bolt and Uber from 25 percent to 10 percent, increase of minimum fare to N1, 000 (shortest distance), stopping of unlawful deactivation of drivers, every trip should read in traffic including the time.

The other demands are, drivers’ scores should be scrapped entirely (allow the drivers to choose their rides), far distance pick up should be compensated with N300 minimum, any ride cancelled by riders after driver got to pick up location should be charged N500 and that the airport pick up and drop off should be much higher like other state.

Responding to the protesters, the chairman, NUJ Edo State council, Mr Festus Alenkhe commended them for their peaceful demonstration.

He urge them to put up their complains in form of writing and address it to the Edo State House of Assembly with the view of having a round table discussion with the drivers and the managers of the Bolt and that of the Uber.

Alenkhe also urged the federal and the state governments to wade in to see how their issue can be addressed adding that their contributions to the nation’s economy is enormous.