By Opeyemi Adelakun
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ondo State has called for an urgent review of the reported ₦220,000 truck loading fee agreed between the state government and quarry and tipper operators.
The party described the figure as an additional burden on residents, arguing that the reported reduction from the operators’ initial proposal of ₦250,000 did not make the charge affordable.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hon. Remi Ofakunrin, the ADC said the government should explain the basis for arriving at the new figure and its relationship with previously published haulage rates for construction materials.
According to the party, the state government’s earlier schedule of rates listed charges ranging from ₦500 to ₦4,000 per trip, depending on the type and tonnage of materials transported.
It said the previous rates included ₦500 per trip for sand, laterite and clay weighing 1–15 tonnes; ₦1,000 for 16–30 tonnes and ₦2,000 for 40 tonnes and above.
For granite, stone and dust, the party said the published rates were ₦1,000 per trip for 1–15 tonnes, ₦2,000 for 16–30 tonnes and ₦4,000 for 40 tonnes and above.
The ADC stressed that the government should clarify whether the reported ₦220,000 is a replacement for those statutory haulage charges or a separate industry loading fee.
“Even if the new ₦220,000 charge is structurally different from the government’s previous statutory haulage fees and is an agreed industry loading fee rather than simply a replacement for the old government levy, the enormous difference demands transparency and explanation,” the party said.
The party argued that any additional cost imposed on quarry and haulage operations could eventually be transferred to consumers through higher prices for sand, laterite and granite.
It said increased material costs could also affect the overall cost of construction, property development and, potentially, rents.
The ADC questioned whether stakeholders beyond quarry and tipper operators were consulted before the reported agreement was reached.
It asked whether builders, developers, artisans, landlords, tenants, civil servants, low-income families and prospective homeowners were involved in consultations on the arrangement.
The party acknowledged the rising diesel and operational costs cited by quarry and tipper operators as reasons for seeking an increase, but said the government should seek a balance that does not transfer the entire burden to another group of citizens.
The ADC consequently called on the state government to publish the detailed basis for the ₦220,000 figure and clearly state what the fee covers.
It also demanded an assessment of the likely impact of the charge on construction materials and called for broader consultations with representatives of builders, developers, artisans, landlords, tenants and consumers.
The party further urged the government to review the arrangement to prevent what it described as unnecessary additional economic pressure on residents.
“Ondo people cannot continue to be the shock absorbers for every increase in the cost of doing business,” the ADC said.
The party said it would continue to demand policies aimed at reducing living costs and improving access to affordable housing in the state.
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