Business
Taxi Drivers Protest Harsh Leasing Condition
Some taxi drivers in Lagos State recently called on Governor Babatunde Fashola to intervene in their alleged exploitation by a leasing company.
The drivers, who operate a group of taxis known as Red Cabs, made the call while staging a peaceful protest in Lagos.
They parked their vehicles numbering about 40 at the Motorway Bus Stop on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in front of a building where the leasing company, Citrance Global Ltd, a subsidiary of C & I Leasing Plc, is occupying.
The drivers carried placards as they stood in front of the building.
Some of them told newsmen that the lease conditions were difficult and negatively affected their families’ welfare.
One of them, Mr. Kole Ibidapo, said “A lot of things are wrong with the conditions given to us by the company.
“Everybody here is ready to work but the whole arrangement is wrong. We pay N38,500 weekly to the company; what is the market value of these cars?”
Mr. Ifeanyi Victor, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said that he had worked for two years under the lease conditions because of the lack of white collar jobs.
“On election days and all the public holidays when we did not work, we were still expected to remit the N38,000.
“They want us to repair and maintain the vehicles but refused to reduce the target,” he said.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.