The drivers of transit buses, locally known as Korope, in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have protested against a recent hike in daily revenue charges.
The protest, which took place on Thursday, led to many buses to suspend the plying of their usual major road from Takie to Egbeda areas of Ogbomoso. This resulted into the frustration of commuters.
According to a bus driver, Mukaila Oyelami, aka Baba Chelsea, transit drivers pay N700 daily as a revenue charge from the Oyo State Government.
The revenue charge comprises two tickets: Oyo State Daily Ticket Scheme codenamed “ALGON ticket” and “Terminal Ticket”.
Oyelami said a meeting was held on Wednesday with the Ogbomoso Park Committee, raising the charge to N1000 with the excuse that things have become expensive.
The driver said they’re protesting to reduce the charge, considering the cost of fuel and the insufficiency of commuters along the road.
“Normally, we pay N700 every day and still pay N200 to LAUTECH for working around the student area. It was yesterday that the park chairman called all of us, telling us that we’ll now be paying N1000 daily. We’re Protesting to say no.”
Mukaila said the pool of striking drivers have visited the palace of the Ogbomoso Monarch, Ọbá Olaoye Ghandi, Soun, who pleaded on behalf of the drivers to continue with the previous revenue rate.
The park chairman, Comrade Hammed Alao, said that the decision to increase the revenue rate from N700 to N1000 was not out of inhumanity against the drivers.
In his words, Comrade Alao said the N700 rate covers two tickets, settlement of security agencies and remittance to the State Government. Considering the high cost of things, the N700 after examination is no longer enough. “This is the reason behind the increment,” he said.
“But I have told them before that the ticket payment will increase since February 2024 when the state government brought an ALGON ticket, adding to the previous ticket, making it two. They pleaded that time too,” Comrade Alao said.
The Chairman said it has been decided by the Soun of Ogbomoso that the new revenue charge should start from January 2025. But PIJAlance was unable to independently confirm this.
Attempts to get in touch with one of the Oyo State Internal Revenue officials in Ogbomoso met with total futility. One of the officials, Mr Sunday Fabode, who displayed ignorance regarding the hike said, cannot speak any further.
Worthy of note, the N700 revenue was just increased in February, 2024 from the initial N300 revenue charge daily.
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