AJEGUNLE: OKADA RIDERS REJECT IMPOSED LEVIES.

At the very hour of 10:35am on Monday 26 March,  2018. Thousands of Okada riders from Motorcycles Operators Association (MOAS),  All Commercial Owners Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) and All National Commercial Operators Owners and Workers Association (ANACOWA) who are affiliate Unions to National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) protested against the ongoing Toll Tickets the local government imposed on them to pay. 

According to informations gathered. The council  toll tickets of both Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA and it's LCDA respectively were increased from N50 to N100 daily. While the three affiliate Unions: MOAS, ANACOWA, ACOMORAN toll ticket were from N200 to N500. To make matter worst and horrific. The local government recently imposed an inhuman levy that is Private Sector Participation (PSP) toll ticket of N100 collected daily, which trigger anger and; for many Okada riders is extreme of the government to add more burden on them without considering the economic challenges.

The Okada riders who were agitating in front of the local government secretariat demanded that the ajeromi Ifelodun local government should cancel all anti-masses levies imposed on them. That the continual bedevilling of them must come to an end. They Okada  riders can't continue to sniff the intimidation from the government. Other demands includes the cancellation of the Private Sector Participation (PSP) ticket the APC politicians forced on them to pay. Majority of the riders were embittered on the way the APC led administration have been inflicting more agony on them undermining the current state of poverty.

For majority  of the victimise Okada riders. They agitated that the taxes, levies, tolls collected from them on daily basis is too much. They are force to pay unnecessary money. Money that doesn't have accountability and explanation. For example, the recent PSP ticket collected from them. All the riders at the scene of the protest expresses dissatisfaction against the APC regime. Ayoola and Ajifat respectively. Both regimes for them had demonstrated what they represent. imposing neo-liberal policies of privatization and commercialization. 

Therefore, they were demanding enough is enough on the way and manner the AJIF led APC of Ayoola and Ajifat LCDA respectively have been making life difficult for them the  poor masses. The government so far confirm total failure and representation of the business owners and contractors that government uses public money to execute private businesses for themselves. On the part of the riders,  as far they are concern, both administrations doesn't represent the interest of the poor masses. 

Undermining it was a spontaneous protest without banners, placards. Although, while at the gate, the Okada riders were on their feet accusing the Ayoola regime for the crime unleashed on them. In fact, they also accused the Ifelodun Local Council Development Area led-business-like APC regime of Ajifat of the same crime of its counterparts. A regime that have been using public money to execute projects which belong to him for the past five years to enrich himeself and it's cabinets of looters and contractors. This is an administration in the first tenure, which hadn't done nothing to improve on the social welfare in the community. What the regime have successfully carried out is to imposed scrupulous and ridiculous laws to justify it's taxes and levies on the poor masses. 

Meanwhile at the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local government gate. Some of the riders who were embittered and angered over this increments said all the levies be reverse. More so, the council ticket of N100 must be return back to N50 as stipulated in the Lagos State Revenue Law. On top of their voices, they  accused the union leaders from the three respective unions for being silent over this matter not issuing a single statement over this imposed inhuman tax. Or even voiced a word. For the Okada riders, they felt betrayed by the unions, not saying nothing or even showing face at the scene of the struggle. 

As a matter of fact and from the mouth of the victimize riders. It was gathered, prior before now, the three unions had promised to meet in order to discuss this matter. In fact, that they plan to have a meeting with the government. But the angered Okada riders protesting in front at the local government secretariat said. The union leaders of MOAS,  ANACOWA, ACOMORAN have remain adamant. According to one Mr. Collins who was addressing the riders said. "This is not the first and the last this issue had been brought to the union. In several occasions we have table this matter to their hearing. But nothing was done about it. Instead they said we should be patient".

Members of the Democratic Socialist Movement and the Socialist Party of Nigeria who were at the scene solidarize with the riders for their boldness to independently stand to challenge the Ayoola and Ajifat led APC administration. That the struggle to resist the imposed levy on them need to be built further in order to make it a wide campaign of Cancel the imposed Levy. Mr. Collins who assume to lead this erupted protest agree and equally emphasized the need to reach out to other layers of the Okada riders because majority of the protesters were primarily dominated by one section. However, DSM who participated in the independent protest of the Okada riders. Call for the building of an alternative political party like the Socialist Party of Nigeria for the ajegunle people to join in order to wrestle power from the APC, PDP in Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA. 

By
Copyright @Fidel Davy
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