1 week Ago
By Evelyn UsmanLAGOS—Members of the Ikorodu- Ketu Truck Owners and Drivers Association have taken to the street, protesting the increase in price of sharp sand from N126,000 to N180,000 by the Dregers Association in Ikorodu area of Lagos.The placard-carrying protesters with the placards which read: “No more price increment,” disclosed at their operation base in Ikorodu that the price of purchasing sharp sand was increased twice in two months, by 42.86 per cent.
Addressing journalists yesterday, Chairman, Ikorodu-Ketu Truck Owners and Drivers Association, Lagos State, Sikiru Aderoju, said: “Two months ago, the price of sharp sand was increased from N110,00 to N126,000, for 30 tons and we agreed. Barely had we adjusted to the new price when they announced an additional increase of N52,000, which makes it N178,000. Our customers have refused to patronise us because it is too expensive.
”A member of the association, Oluwaseun Adelaja, said the increment by the dredgers association was intended to push truck drivers out of business.He explained that “As of July 2024, we bought 30 tons of sharp sand for N85,000, but by November 2024, the dredgers increased it to N110,000, and we complied when they attributed the reasons to economic situation of the country, as well as increased price of diesel and the high cost of maintenance and auto parts.“When they increased it to N126,000 in January 2025, we went on a two-week warning strike to inform our customers, but the feedback we got from them was not appealing to us.
”With this new price, the end users will need to pay more and we are protesting to relieve people of the hardship. The dredgers are planning to take over the business from us since they have trucks.”Another truck driver, Sodiq Owolabi, alleged that during one of the protests held at the Ebute Roundabout in Ikorodu, the dredgers’ association used thugs and security operatives to attack him, adding that he sustained injuries on his face and back.
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