Commercial minibus operators, popularly known as Korope drivers, on Wednesday protested in Osogbo, Osun State, over rising fuel and operating costs, while announcing a new fare structure ranging from N300 to N1,200.
The protest, organised under the Association of Korope Drivers, disrupted transportation on some routes in the state capital as drivers parked their vehicles at Ayetoro Junction and withdrew their services for several hours.
The action began around 7am and lasted until about 2pm, leaving some commuters stranded and forcing others to trek to their destinations.
Reports from the protest also indicated that some drivers who declined to participate were prevented from operating during the demonstration.
Drivers said soaring petrol prices, expensive spare parts, vehicle maintenance and rising household costs had made commercial transport increasingly difficult to sustain.
A representative of the protesters, Abdulwasiu Osuolale, said the drivers were also aggrieved over what they described as the mismanagement of money collected through daily transport tickets.
According to him, drivers were being subjected to increasing financial pressure while union leaders were allegedly more concerned about collecting daily ticket proceeds.
“The fuel price has brought a lot of hardship. The leadership of the transport unions is also not treating drivers well. They don’t care about what we are going through. All they care about is the daily ticket money they collect from us,” Osuolale said.
He said the drivers had decided to increase fares to reflect the cost of running their vehicles and called on the government to investigate how proceeds from ticket sales were being utilised.
Osuolale alleged that some private individuals collecting the proceeds were retaining the money instead of remitting it to government coffers.
New Osogbo Korope fare structure
Under the new fare structure released by the association, the minimum fare for several short routes within Osogbo is now N300.
Routes attracting the N300 fare include Dagbolu 1 and 2 to Kobo; Ota-Efun to Stadium; Ota-Efun to Testing Ground; Testing Ground to Igbona; Oja-Oba to Garage Ilesha; Oja-Oba to Olaiya and Old Garage; Old Garage, Okefia to Dada Estate; Olaiya to Dada Estate; and Ofatedo to Ido-Osun.
Several routes will attract N400, including Dagbolu to Ota-Efun, Testing Ground to Old Garage, Testing Ground to Oja-Oba, Biket, Powerline and Jaye to Old Garage, Ayetoro, Igbona and Olorunda to Ota-Efun, Ayetoro to Ogo-Oluwa, and Oja-Oba to Owode Garage.
The N400 fare will also apply to Alakija and OSBC to Oja-Oba, Olaiya, Old Garage and Okefia to Bolanle/Dele, as well as Old Garage, Olaiya and Okefia to Agunbelewo.
Fares on routes such as Ota-Efun to Old Garage, Old Garage and Ola-Iya to Abere, Testing Ground to Ogo-Oluwa, Dagbolu 1 and 2 to Stadium and Testing Ground, and Sasa through Okebaale to Oja-Oba have been fixed at N500.
The association fixed N600 for longer routes including Kobo to Old Garage, Ayetoro and Igbona to Abere, Old Garage and Ola-Iya to Owode, Ota-Efun to Oja-Oba, Testing Ground to Garage Ilesha, Olaiya, Old Garage and Okefia to Ido-Osun, and Owode-Ede to Olaiya and Okefia.
Other routes will cost N700, including Ayetoro and Igbona to Owode-Ede, Dagbolu 1 and 2 to Okefia and Old Garage, and Old Garage, Olaiya and Okefia to Olobu and Ifon.
The fare from Stadium to Owode-Ede was fixed at N800, while passengers travelling from Ota-Efun to Owode-Ede and Owode-Ede to Bolanle and Dele Yes Sir will pay N1,000.
Kobo to Owode-Ede, described as the longest route on the list, will cost N1,200.
Separate reports from the protest showed that some drivers are also demanding government intervention to provide CNG refuelling facilities in Osun.
Drivers said some operators were willing to convert their vehicles to CNG but lacked accessible refuelling infrastructure.
One driver, Adewumi Adeleke, said some operators were spending as much as N40,000 daily on petrol.
Another driver, Ariyo Idowu, called for the provision and improvement of designated bus stops across Osogbo, arguing that better transport infrastructure would help organise commercial operations and improve passenger movement.
The drivers reportedly warned that they could embark on a week-long strike if their grievances were not addressed and urged the government and transport unions to engage them in dialogue.
Reacting to the protest, Executive Director of the Socio-Economic and Civic Rights Advocacy, Emmanuel Olowu, said the drivers had exercised their right to protest while largely maintaining public order.
Olowu, however, said the allegations concerning ticket collections raised questions about the current system of transport revenue collection.
He argued that a system in which individuals collect transport ticket proceeds outside direct government control required scrutiny, particularly amid the drivers’ complaints about how the money was being managed.
