Drivers Protest Alleged Extortion, Dehumanization in Delta, Set to Storm Government House

By Ezekiel Kagbala.... Ughelli

Concerned members of Warri-Abraka Drivers, commercial cab operators plying the Warri, Eku, Abraka to Agbor road, are protesting what they described as extortion, dehumanization against them by Delta State Government agents and Motopark touts polularly known as Agberos.

The protesting commercial cab drivers, yesterday, Wednesday, took to the streets of Effurun, Eku, Delta State, carrying placards with different inscriptions to protest against multiple ticket levies being collected.

They decried the hijack of waybills, stating that when ever passengers wants to send goods or any other item as waybills, the Agberos collect the money and command the drivers to take the good for deliveries.

A representative of the drivers, Mr. Overcomer Eze disclosed that, they pay for one Delta State Government ticket popularly known as Updelta several times when one ticket from the state government is supposed to cover them within the State for one day.

Another driver, Mr. Odiri Samuel disclosed that that "Updelta tickets is paid for at PTI-Warri the-same ticket is paid for at  Orerokpe, Oviorie, Eku, Abraka, Obiaroko and Agbor, at the rate of two handred and fifty Naira".

"We come out like this for Delta State government to take measures. We urge them to live up to their responsibilities. Transporters are not happy; we are dying, we don't want deduction of money from drivers in the name of manifest.”

They futher demanded an end to dehumanizing treatment meted at them by the motopark touts polularly know as Agberos.

They want the Government to come up with measures to curb the menace of touts on major highways and motorparks.

They also vow to take their protest to the Delta State Government house, Asaba adding that the  passenger welfare scheme Levy is being deducted from the drivers money in the name of manifest.

Questioning the legality of such collections of manifest money within the state, they however rejected the deduction of 40 percent of their money allegedly extorted for manifest.

“They have been giving us sleepless nights. They can impound our vehicle and ask us to pay N20,000 or whatever they want. Our grievance is that the State government is intimidating us using Agberos and motorpark government revenue collectors".

"Whatever they get from drivers, enters their pockets. We are suffering every day and most of us are driving hire purchase vehicles; with the money they're extorting, we cannot not balance the owners of our vehicles and risk losing our vehicles. We are not happy. We want this to stop.”