Metro

Poor Pay: Uber, Bolt Drivers Issue Seven-day Strike Ultimatum

Published

2 years ago

June 14, 2023

A proposed peace meeting between e-hailing firms and their drivers who are operating under the various app-based platforms ended in a deadlock on Friday, according to The PUNCH

It was gathered that both parties refused to cede grounds during their negotiation at the meeting.

The meeting followed an all-out protest to the doorsteps of the ride-hailing companies by the drivers who had declared a nationwide strike to protest what it considered an unacceptable price review in light of the significant increase in the price of petrol.

Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH, the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the union, Jossy Olawale, said although some of the e-hailing firms have made some concessions to accommodate the current operating environment, the considerations are still far off the mark.

He also said the union had called off the industrial action on a temporary basis, but would embark on a total and indefinite strike in seven days if the conditions presented on Friday were not met.

“We do not have any resolution with them. They said they would increase the price (fare). The people that met with them in Lagos said they increased the price by N7, and when you look at N7 it’s just about 0.7 per cent increase or thereabouts.

“Before the increase in fuel price, it was N102 per kilometre, but since we started our strike, they upped it to N140, which is about 40 per cent increase. We are actually asking for a 200 per cent increase, which is about N300 per kilometre. We want to use that as a negotiation strategy because we know they won’t do up to that. If they are able to do 100 per cent increase, it’s fine, but they only did 40 per cent.

“We also requested for a 50 per cent reduction of their 25 per cent commission. They didn’t even say anything about it. Though they said they would open the door of negotiation. Lastly, they still left the base fare at N800. We are asking that the base fare should be N2000 flat. The commission should be cut by half from 25 per cent to 12.5 per cent.”

Also speaking, the President of the union, Damola Adeniran, said the union would not budge on the demands presented to the cab-hailing firms, as anything short of those terms would not ensure profitability for the drivers.

He said, “We maintain our stand of N2000 base fare, 200 per cent increase in the price per kilometre and a 50 per cent reduction in commission. We also want collective bargaining and at the same time profiling of riders. We want them to reopen the accounts of drivers who have been blocked unjustifiably, without fair hearing.”

Speaking with The PUNCH, the Country Manager for Uber in Nigeria, Tope Akinwumi, said the company had implemented two upward reviews of fare prices in the wake of the increase in the price of gasoline.

He said, “Drivers are at the heart of everything we do and we continue to work on initiatives and engage with drivers to help make Uber the app of choice for drivers while maintaining an affordable service for riders.

“Following an in-depth review of the current fuel subsidy removal, Uber updated fares on the 3rd and 9th June on the app to reflect existing economic conditions. We believe these changes have helped better support drivers in increasing their earning opportunities. Furthermore, we lowered the service fee in February 2022 from 25 per cent to 20 per cent to help enable better earning opportunities for drivers.”

Contacted, a top official of Bolt refused to comment on the grounds that he had no authority to speak on the matter.

An email sent to the company for comments on the matter was also not responded to as of press

PUNCH

Metro

My Wife Is Childless, Refuses To Pray, Fights Me All The Time, Man Tells Court

Published

2 hours ago

November 15, 2025

Editor

Grade A Customary Court, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has adjourned until November 24, for further hearing on the divorce suit brought before it by a man, Anjorin, against his wife, Omolabake, whom he accused of irresponsibility, barreness, constant fight and disobedience.

Anjorin stated that their 8-year-old marriage had produced no child because his wife was barren. He also said that Omolabake was in the habit of flouting his orders.

The plaintiff added that the defendant was fond of going out without his consent while she always abandoned her duties in the home.

The plaintiff further said that he regarded the defendant as a heathen since she refused to pray.

Anjorin, therefore, prayed for the dissolution of their wedlock.

Omolabake denied all the allegations brought against her.

She conceded to divorce.

Anjorin, in his evidence, said, “I got married to my wife in 2017, but I did not pay her bride price. “Unfortunately, our 8-year-old union has not produced any child.

“My wife has made our relationship non-interesting to me because of her atrocities.

“Omolabake has refused to be submissive to me. She plans to usurp my position as head of the home.

“My wife flouts my instructions at will and would dare that I did my worst.

“She abandoned her duty of keeping the home.

“My wife refused to do the house chores and always left our home unkempt.

“I took up the responsibility of doing the house chores, but my wife remained ungrateful.

“Omolabake took to leaving home without my consent and would return whenever it pleased her.

“The more I showed my displeasure at this, the worse she became.

“She fights me any time I complain of her misbehaviour.

“My wife is a heathen.

She does not observe the prayer hours as it is expected of her as a Muslim.

“My lord, I am not happy in our marriage because Omolabake has refused that I have rest of mind.

“I pray that the court rule that we go our different ways.”

The president of the court, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, adjourned the case.

Metro

‘My Husband’s Neglect Of Me Led Me Into An Affair With Another Man’

Published

2 hours ago

November 15, 2025

Editor

…She has contracted HIV —Husband

A woman, Mrs Tabitha Iliya, has dragged her husband, Iliya Yaran, to an Upper Customary Court sitting at Daura Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, praying for divorce over lack of love.

Tabitha, a mother of six, told the court that her husband had failed in providing for the family, a situation that made her cheat on him in order to get fund to purchase their daughter’s drugs.

She told the court that she had stopped sleeping with her husband who usually returned home every three months due to the nature of his work since her intimacy with the other man.

She explained that she had also suffered verbal and physical abuse from her husband, which resulted to her packing out of her matrimonial home for over a year now.

Tabitha stated, “One day, my friend, Esther, asked me to accompany her to a bar, where she was going to meet someone, and I followed her.

“While sitting and gisting, my husband and his friend came to the bar and he started calling me a prostitute and even called one of our sons on phone to come and see what I was doing.”

She said that she left her husband’s house three days after the incident due to constant insults and his demand that she pack out of his house.

The plaintiff stated that she rented a room in another area, but that her husband kept threatening her and even tried to poison her through diabolical means.

She, therefore, prayed the court to dissolve their marriage so that she can have peace of mind.

The judge, Patience Musa, asked Yaran to cross-examine his wife, who then asked her if she had contracted HIV and she answered in the affirmative.

When asked where she got it from, she said it was from God, adding that she no longer loved her husband.

The judge then adjourned the case.

However, shortly after the adjournment, the husband threatened his wife in court, saying she is still his wife and if he catches her with another man again, she will have herself to blame.

The judge quickly intervened and said the court had recorded his threat, adding that if anything happens to the wife, he would be held responsible.

Metro

My Husband Shows His Other Wives More Affection, Woman Tells Court

Published

2 hours ago

November 15, 2025

Editor

A housewife, Rofiat AbdulRofiu, has begged an Area Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, to dissolve her marriage to her husband, Anafi AbdulLateef, on grounds that he shows affection to his three other wives more than her.

”My husband has neglected me and shows love to my three co-wives and his seven children.

”I am no longer interested in our marriage,” she said.

Delivering judgment, the judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, said that Rofiat sent a release letter to the court, agreeing to the divorce application filed by his wife.

Aluko ordered Rofiat to observe one one-month Iddah (waiting) period before she can remarry.

He also granted her custody of their two-year-old baby.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the judge ordered Anafi to pay N20,000 monthly for the feeding of the child.

He also ordered that the father should be given reasonable time to see his child and be informed of anything pertaining to the baby.

The court directed the court clerk to serve Anafi with a copy of the judgment.