Mini bus drivers in Umuahia on Wednesday protested the new fare policy implemented by the Abia State government. The protest happened in front of the Government House in Umuahia.
The new policy eliminates the previous daily ticket system and replaces it with a mandatory bulk purchase system. Drivers are now expected to buy either weekly or monthly tickets.
A minibus commercial driver, Mr. Okechukwu said, “We are advocating for it to be broken into daily tax, we even asked for daily which will be higher than the current weekly tax. This is about the cheapest government tax I’ve seen, but making it daily may be easier for us giving the current economic climate with high costs of vehicle parts, fuel, and food.”
One major concern highlighted by the drivers is that if they are unable to work for a day or week due to illness or vehicle breakdowns, the ticket will be wasted.
The Abia State government is yet to respond to the drivers’ protests or addressed their concerns publicly.