Drivers operating under the Bayelsa State Prosperity Taxi/Cab Scheme have appealed to the state government to review the programme’s operational framework, citing what they described as an unsustainable financial burden.
At a meeting of the drivers, they called on the Bayelsa State Government to reduce the mandatory daily remittance from ₦10,000 to ₦5,000 and introduce a hire-purchase scheme that would allow drivers to eventually own the vehicles they operate.
The drivers explained that although the daily remittance was reduced from ₦12,000 to ₦10,000, they are still responsible for fueling, servicing, and maintaining the vehicles at their own expense.
According to some participants, drivers who have remained in the scheme for over three years have each remitted more than ₦10 million to the government through daily payments. They argued that the amount is enough to purchase a vehicle outright, yet they have no ownership rights despite years of operation.
They urged Governor Douye Diri to convert the initiative into a hire-purchase programme, saying such an arrangement would reward committed drivers by enabling them to own the vehicles after fulfilling agreed payment terms.
The drivers also lamented that after paying for fuel, vehicle maintenance, and the compulsory daily remittance, they are left with little income to support themselves and their families.
Describing the current arrangement as “modern slavery,” they said the situation is particularly difficult for those operating long-distance routes such as Toru-Orua, Ekeremor, Nembe, and Amassoma.
According to them, when they are unable to secure return passengers from those destinations, they are often forced to spend the night at motor parks or nearby shops while waiting for passengers, just to raise enough money to meet the daily remittance target.
The drivers appealed to the Bayelsa State Government to urgently review the policy, arguing that the proposed changes would improve their welfare and ensure the long-term sustainability of the Prosperity Taxi/Cab Scheme.