Ondo State Government and quarry and truck operators have agreed on a new loading fee of N220,000 per truck trip following consultations on the proposed increase in charges.
The agreement followed the government’s intervention in the proposed N250,000 loading fee, with operators given time to consult their members before a new rate was reached.
The resolution was reached during a meeting between government officials and representatives of tipper and quarry operators held at the office of the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources in Ondo State.
The development was contained in a statement on Friday signed by the Information Officer of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Debbie Funmilayo.
Speaking at the meeting, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Johnson Alabi, said the N220,000 rate was adopted after consultations with relevant stakeholders.
Alabi said the new fee was designed to strike a balance between the interests of quarry operators and the economic realities confronting residents, particularly the need to avoid imposing additional financial pressure on the people.
He urged the union executives to ensure that their members complied with the agreed rate, assuring them that sustained cooperation would strengthen the ministry’s efforts to address issues affecting their businesses.
The President of the Union of Tipper and Quarry Employers of Nigeria, Taiwo Odetola, said the proposed increase was largely driven by the sharp rise in diesel prices and other operational costs, but pledged that the unions would abide by the new agreement and maintain peaceful relations with the government.