By STELLAMARIS ASHINZE

The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) on Monday urged the Federal Government to intervene in the ride-hailing subsector to protect and ensure drivers? welfare.

The Vice President, South-West, Mr Kolawole Aina, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Aina said that there was the need for government to have an interface with the drivers rather than solely dealing with the app companies on issues.

The union leader said that the government should deal directly with the drivers, particularly as regards the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and security issues affecting them.

He decried the exclusion of ride-hailing drivers from government?s free CNG installation programme, saying that it was frustrating to be excluded from something that was so beneficial.

Aina said: ?Government?s reluctance to work with the union is not encouraging. Government needs to rethink its decision of working with a foreign company, whose main concern is collecting of commission.

?These companies are after their own commission, these companies do not buy cars or maintain it for drivers.

?So, why should something as beneficial as CNG installation be routed through Uber and Bolt that is actually enslaving drivers?

?They will only use those things given to them for their benefit,?? he said.

According to him, even when the drivers made the effort to unilaterally convert their vehicles to CNG, availability of gas became an issue.

?Now, to even access the gas is becoming difficult. We will be on queues, people can be on the queue for two hours in the gas filling station before they are able to buy gas,?? Aina explained.

He urged that government should also make more CNG stations available to alleviate the challenges faced by drivers.

On security, the union highlighted the importance of profiling riders to prevent crimes and ensure driver safety.

The South-West vice president called on the government to compel e-hailing companies to implement rider profiling, saying it would help mitigate security risk.

He also expressed concerns about the high commission charges and low fares imposed by ride-hailing companies, saying it affected the welfare of drivers.

He announced plans by the association to establish a task force that would enforce agreements with the companies and protect drivers? rights. (NAN)