Commercial minibus drivers in Osogbo, popularly known as Korope, have announced a new fare regime following a peaceful protest over the rising cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance.
The drivers, operating under the Association of Korope Drivers, staged the protest on Wednesday at the Ayetoro area of the state capital. The protest, which started around 7:00am and lasted until about 2pm, disrupted transport services along major routes and left many commuters stranded.
Following the protest, the association released a new price list with the least fare per drop within Osogbo now fixed at N300, effective Thursday. The drivers said the previous N200 fare was no longer sustainable.
Short distance routes such as Dagbolu 1 and 2 to Kobo, Ota-Efun to Stadium, Testing Ground to Igbona, Oja-Oba to Garage Ilesha and Olaiya to Dada Estate will now cost N300.
Longer routes will attract higher fares. Passengers travelling from Dagbolu to Ota-Efun, Testing Ground to Old Garage and Oja-Oba to Owode Garage will pay N400, while trips to Abere and Dada Estate will cost N500.
Under the new structure, fares for Kobo to Old Garage and Ota-Efun to Oja-Oba were pegged at N600. Routes such as Kobo to Owode-Ede will cost N1,200, while Ota-Efun to Owode-Ede and Owode-Ede to Bolanle and Dele Yes Sir will cost N1,000.
The drivers said the adjustment became necessary because of the soaring price of petrol and spare parts. One of the drivers who spoke during the protest said the business was no longer profitable.
“From tomorrow, there is no more N200 transport. The least is N300 per drop. We have families and we also want to take care of our families,” a driver said.
Another driver lamented the daily operating cost. “If we buy N35,000 petrol for our minibus, at the end of the day, we might not make a profit of N5,000 after working,” he said.
The drivers also called on the Osun State Government to investigate the management of revenues generated from daily transport tickets. A representative of the drivers, Abdulwasiu Osuolale, accused union leaders of mismanaging the 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 added, “We started the protest at 7:00 am to inform Osogbo residents that transport fare has increased. A drop is now N300. Also, the government should investigate how proceeds from the ticket sales are being utilised. Some private individuals, rather than remitting it to government coffers, are keeping the proceeds.”
The development has drawn mixed reactions from residents, many of whom said the increase would worsen the financial pressure on low-income earners already struggling with the rising cost of living.
