There are indications that leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State generate over N123bn annually.
This is close to half of the Internally Generated Revenue of the Lagos State Government itself.
At about N30bn per month, the government rakes in some N360bn.
The figure of what the transport union leaders and their boys earn is contained in a report by the International Centre for Investigative Report has shown.
The figure may also explain why the leadership of the unions is often characterised by intense struggle and violence as one leader tries to display the other.
It also echoes the flashy and economically licentious lives that many of the lead.
According to ‘The Punch’, the data, which was released on Thursday, showed that the money was realised through levies on passenger vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles.
Other sources of income not included in the report were money levied on hawkers, articulated vehicles, and persons who visited certain markets to buy goods.
The report recorded a total of 75,000 buses; 50,000 tricycles; and 37,000 motorcycles.
It showed that on a daily basis, N3,000, N600, and N1,800 were levied on buses, motorcycles, and tricycles respectively.
These levies sum up to N82.1bn for buses; N8.1bn for motorcycles; and N32.9bn for tricycles yearly; making a total of N123.078bn yearly.
