The Lagos chapter of the National Union
of Road Transport Workers, locally
called agberos , generates about
N123.08bn annually, which could service
the annual budget of Nasarawa, Niger,
and Yobe states put together, a
statistical report by the International
Centre for Investigative Report has
shown.
The data, which was released on
Thursday, showed that the money was
realised through levies on passenger
vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles.
Other sources of income not included in
the report were money levied on
hawkers, articulated vehicles, and
persons who visited certain markets to
buy goods.
The report recorded a total of 75,000
buses; 50,000 tricycles; and 37,000
motorcycles.
It showed that on a daily basis, N3,000,
N600, and N1,800 were levied on buses,
motorcycles, and tricycles respectively.
These levies sum up to N82.1bn for
buses; N8.1bn for motorcycles; and
N32.9bn for tricycles yearly; making a
total of N123.078bn yearly.
Speaking on how the union could
generate such money, a close associate
of the NURTW who spoke to our
correspondent on condition of
anonymity, said, “It is a highly
connected and well-organised syndicate.
“Take Idumota, for example; some
agberos work in the office, others work
on the streets; some work in the
morning, some are constantly on
afternoon shifts.
“Some also have days that they work.
Although, there is a fixed price, the rule
of the game is that the agberos charge
the drivers based on the amount they
charge the passengers.”
He added that in Idumota, there were
over seven chairmen who get deliveries
from the boys that work on the streets.
“The boys have delivery targets, which
is the reason they act rudely to drivers
and passengers alike,” he added.
He narrated further that to work with
them, one must know one NURTW
chairman or another renowned
hoodlum on the street.
He mentioned the case of a young man
who went to Badagry to get diabolic
fortifications so that he could be
effective on the job.
A passenger, Emmanuel Francis,
expressed concerns over the activities
of NURTW members.
He urged the Federal Government to
regulate their activities.
When contacted, a spokesperson for the
Lagos Internal Revenue Service,
Monsurat Amasa, said she could not
comment on the amount the NURTW
generates, but added that as a part of
the informal sector, the body pays taxes
to the government.