By Boye Oyeyemi
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has directed operators in the tipper and quarry sector to suspend the recently increased truck-loading fees pending further discussions with the state government.
The directive was conveyed by the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Johnson Alabi, during a meeting with leaders of various unions representing tipper owners, quarry operators, sand suppliers and other stakeholders in the sector.
The meeting followed complaints received by the state government over the increase in the cost of loading sand and other quarry materials, which officials said could further raise the financial burden on residents amid rising living costs.
Alabi said the governor was committed to creating an environment where businesses could operate effectively without imposing unnecessary hardship on the people.
He urged the union leaders to consider the economic situation facing residents, noting that the rising cost of living and increasing prices of building materials were already putting considerable pressure on ordinary citizens.
The commissioner consequently directed the unions to suspend the new charges pending further consultations. The meeting was adjourned until Friday, September 18, when the union executives are expected to return after consulting their members.
The President of the Union of Tipper and Quarry Employers of Nigeria, Taiwo Odetola, welcomed the government’s intervention but explained that operators were also grappling with high diesel prices and other rising operational expenses.
Odetola promised to communicate the outcome of the meeting to members and return to the government with their position on the matter on the agreed date.