By Evelyn Usman

Members of the Ikorodu-Ketu Truck Owners and Drivers Association have taken to the street, protesting the increase in price of sharp sand from N126,000 to N180,000 by the Dregers Association in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

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The placard-carrying protesters with the inscription ‘No more price incremement’, disclosed at their operation base in Ikorodu that the price of purchasng sharp sand was increased twice in two months, by 42.86%.

Addessing journalists on Monday, the Chairman, Ikorodu-Ketu Truck Owners and Drivers Association, Lagos State, Sikiru Aderoju, said: “Two months ago, the price of sharp sand was increased from N110,00 to N126,000, for 30 tons and we agreed.

“Barely had we adjusted to the new price than they announced an additional increase of N52,000, which makes it N178,000. Our customers have refused to patronise us because it is too expensive.”

A member of the association, Oluwaseun Adelaja, said the increament by the dredgers association was intended to push truck drivers out of business.

He explained that “As of July 2024, we bought 30 tons of sharp sand for N85,000. But by November 2024, the dredgers increased it to N110,000, and we complied when they attributed the reasons to economic situation of the country, as well as increased price of diesel and the high cost of maintenance and auto parts.

“When they increased it to N126,000 in January 2025, we went on a two-week warning strike to inform our customers, but the feedback we got from them was not appealing to us.

“With this new price, the end users will need to pay more, and we are protesting to relieve people of the hardship. The dredgers are planning to take over the business from us since they have trucks.”

Another truck driver, Sodiq Owolabi, alleged that during one of the protests held at the Ebute Roundabout in Ikorodu, the dredgers association used thugs and security operatives to attack him, adding that he sustained injuries on his face and back.

On his part, one of the protesters, Azeez Onanuga, called on the Lagos State Government to intervene on the call for price reduction of sharp sand.

He lamented that “Since we stopped operation to protest the price increment, those of us that took loan on hire purchase, risk losing our trucks, while the dredgers are using their trucks to work.”

Their exco agreed on new price – Dredgers

Reacting, Chairman of the Dredgers Association, Ikorodu, Lagos State, Tunde Adigun, explained that the increments were influenced by the country’s economic situation, adding that it had led to the closure of at least five dredging sites.

He said: “The truck drivers are our customers; I also have trucks; I bought my last truck for N39 million, and it is N100 million today.

“Initially, we were pumping about 100 meters to 200 meters from the shore; now we are about three to four kilometres away. Is that not an increase in cost?

“Our Chinese partners said they cannot work again because it is not profitable. If we all run out of business, is that what will be okay for the tipper drivers?

“We have explained that we are doing this to remain in business.
“Before we embarked on increase in price, we would call them for a meeting and explain our contraint to them. We have already written letters to the tippers associations and have had an agreement with their executives.

“But some factions kicked against the position of their executives and the new price. These factions insisted on meeting with us separately, and I said I cannot do that, except they go through their executives.”

He clarified that “I bought trucks because they (truck drivers) stopped carrying sand from my site when the price increased.”

On the allegation on the use of security agents to attack truck drivers during the protest, Adigun said: “They were there to control the situation.”

Vanguard News