Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), claims that many people who refuse to drive taxis in Nigeria are more than happy to do so in other countries.
The minister stated this while handing over 80 new cars to beneficiaries to use as taxis at an empowerment programme in Garki on Thursday, October 31.
According to him, “They are not paying a dime. No; the government is saying this is our support to feed your family and reduce the cost of transportation in the city… Abuja should compete with other cities in the world.
What you will see in the social media is that he wants them to be taxi drivers. We travel and see Nigerians who stay abroad and work as taxi drivers.
Nigerians at home will say our uncle is in London, my uncle is in Houston, my uncle is in Paris, my uncle has sent us $200 but he (the uncle abroad) makes his money as a taxi driver, feeds his family and pays his taxes.
Instead of encouraging how to feed our families, the next thing we will see in social media is that they are giving them jobs as taxi drivers.
We can’t be taxi drivers here but we prefer taxi driving in London. That is the country you are in.”