Commercial motorcyclists stage protest over N200 ticket by state government

Commercial motorcycle operators in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday staged a protest over the N200 ticket fee introduced by the state government. The protesters lamented that there was economic hardship in the state and that the new ticket fee was too much for them to bear. They, therefore, urged the state government to scrap the ticket […]

Commercial motorcycle operators in Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday staged a protest over the N200 ticket fee introduced by the state government.

The protesters lamented that there was economic hardship in the state and that the new ticket fee was too much for them to bear.

They, therefore, urged the state government to scrap the ticket fee. They also tasked the state government to address the rising challenge of insecurity they said was exposing them to danger as they do their work.

The okada riders, as they are widely called, caused serious traffic jam at the popular Olaiya junction while the protest lasted as they demanded that the state government stop the collection of the ticket fee from them.

They pointed out that the state government levy was coming in addition to the N50 that they also pay daily to the Okada Riders Association.

A government official, who pleaded anonymity, told Eko Trust that the ticket fee was part of the state government’s efforts to boost the internal revenue generation in the state.

He said the okada riders in the state were not ready to assist the government to generate revenue despite government’s appeal to them on the issue.

A copy of the ticket sighted by our correspondent has ‘Osun State Government Internal Revenue Service Transporters Daily Ticket’ written on it.