By Lukman Olabiyi
Some commercial drivers under the umbrella of CMS Taxi and Bus Nigeria Limited, Marina yesterday staged a peaceful protest over lock up of their garage by the Lagos State Government.
The protesters pleaded with the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to have pity on them by unlocking the garage for them to continue their business activities.
Speaking on behalf of the drivers, at the protest that was held in Marina,
the union president, Alabi Olabamji Kamorudeen disclosed that the government recently approached the union for usage of their garage for an event but it was later locked up.
According to Kamorudeen, recently, Special Adviser to governor on Transportation, Mr. Sola Giwa approached our union for usage of our garage for an event which we obliged, but after the event our garage was locked up, we are later told that government want to renovate and share the garage with other unions that are not part of us.
“This is not what government told us initially, since when the garage was locked up, we have been deprived of our livelihood, and many of members have rendered jobless, we are pleading with Governor Sanwo-Olu not to take away our source of livelihood and also consider the plight of the commuters that we serving”, Kamorudeen pleaded.
Reacting to the protest, the governor’s Special Adviser, Giwa said the drivers were not being sincere on what really transpired .
Giwa said the garage was locked up due to its operators’ refusal to register with the government, adding the garage operators were operating without complying with state law.
Again , the governor’s disclosed for the past five years the union had not paid tax to the state government.
Giwa however, revealed that the union’s leaders and government are already on the round table to settle the difference, promised that very soon the issue we be resolved.