Driver slumps, dies as union laments hostile working condition

A driver with LagRide, a Lagos State-owned ride-sharing app, Adebayo Padmore, has collapsed and died in the Lekki area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Padmore, who was the National Deputy President of the Amalgamated Union of the app-based transporters of Nigeria, was about to begin work on Monday, January 8 when the incident happened.

The spokesperson for the union, Jossy Adaraniwon, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday said the deceased who was in his mid-40s had opened his car bonnet to check the engine oil when he collapsed on the spot.

Adaraniwon, who lamented what he alleged as the hostile working conditions of ride-hailing companies in Nigeria said the victim was rushed to the hospital where he later died.

He said, “Bayo had worked the night before and decided to take some rest in his car on one of the streets in Lekki. He woke up around 5 am to start work and while preparing, he opened his bonnet to check the engine oil. It was at the point of going back into his vehicle that he slumped. Our colleagues who were there had to pour water on him quickly and later took him to a nearby hospital but he did not make it alive. It was an unfortunate incident because he was still part of our Zoom meeting on Sunday evening and he did not sound like he was not feeling fine.”

Adaraniwon revealed that the medical report obtained from the hospital indicated that the deceased died of cardiac arrest which is associated with fatigue and accumulated stress.

Speaking further, he explained that Pademore’s death was not unconnected to the pressure on the job.

He said, “The great Padmore’s death is one that cannot be exonerated from the hostile condition of work by platforms like Lagride, Uber, Bolt and InDriver resulting from high commission, low fares, high daily target, higher asset repayment, and lack of healthcare insurance and anti-workers policy that subject platform workers to prolonged working hours, fatigue, low earnings, lack of healthcare, lack of rest time and struggle to meet the daily target, family time and needs.

 “As a union, our demand for adequate regulation and welfare of platform workers remains unflinching until victory is assured. Our call to the Lagos Ride management is to render necessary support and compensation for the deceased’s family and adopt a platform worker-friendly policy immediately.”

 It was gathered that the deceased had been buried in his hometown in Oyo State on Thursday.

The union embarked on a nationwide protest in June 2023, while withdrawing services of its drivers from the public.

The drivers, who said they could no longer work under the new fuel pump price conditions, noted that they had previously appealed to the companies to reduce their commissions on the grounds that they did not reflect industry benchmark commissions.