Ajah marwa riders cry out, call for government's aid

The pain of being a tricycle (marwa) rider in Ajah is seeming more, than the joys of its income. Aside the pains attached to driving naturally, the traffic which makes their bikes get damaged easily as a result of harassment from bigger vehicles, the exorbitant rate of getting the bike in 1.2 million For hire purchase, are all minor issues, while the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria boys, crown it all.

The tricycles have become so numerous, especially after their exit from major roads as the competition have become so serious. But in a densely populated area like Ajah, such shouldn't be a problem, as everyone would definitely get his. But in spite of the population, it hasn't really enhanced the economic situation of the riders. 

From intervals of time, they have to buy tickets from the NURTW AND RTEAN boys. These tickets are broken down this way: before the start of work for the day, they must buy the booking tickets which is 800 Naira, State and Union tickets, 500 Naira, Levy tickets 300, turning ticket 100, which is usually done by inscriptions on the screen of the bikes by marker. Later in the afternoon, the collections of the 100 Naira different times amount to 700, and at night, it's 100. This brings to the total of 2600 Naira daily payment. 

If the marwa riders fail to buy any of these tickets, the boys could break their side mirrors, wiper, or off the bike and leave with the keys. Usually, these actions lead to physical combat by the two parties. But at the end, the garage boys usually win because of their numbers and live bodily injuries on such drivers who would still have to treat himself from the money. 

Since passengers cannot wait for such notorious acts, they come down and board another one. During this process, the rider loses at both ends and even have to treat himself from what he earns.

The boys have cried but nobody listened to their cries and now they folded their arms like an ostracized man on the streets and they are still not noticeable, but have passed the aggression on passengers 

For instance, from  Ajah to Langbasa and Badore, marwa, were boarded at 100 Naira before Coronavirus pandemic. During the pandemic, the price flew unstablely several times before the eventual permanent price of 200 Naira, due to the social distancing protocol, as only two passengers were allowed to be conveyed at a time. But when normalcy was restored to garages and passengers can board in full again, nothing has changed. The boys pick their four passengers and collect their 200 Naira each. 

When The Social Watch tries to ascertain this, the riders said that before the return of normalcy at garages, the NURTW and RTEAN have inflated their prices for tickets, that the only way to meet up is too stick to the 200 Naira charges. Though they also alluded to the increment in fuel price as  being part of the T-fare hike. 

Despite the high ticketing, they don't pay when they board, but rather claim staff.

Those who spoke with The Social Watch, use the medium to call for help in reducing this ticketing charges, so that customers can be served well, and they also be happy doing their jobs.