Commercial minibus drivers popularly known as Korope drivers in Osogbo on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest over the rising cost of fuel and the increasing difficulty of running their transport businesses.
The drivers gathered at the Olaiya Flyover in Osogbo and marched towards Ogooluwa to the Government Secretariat, Abere.
Speaking during the protest, a driver, Ebenezer Oyayode, a retiree from the Federal Ministry of Industry who now drives a Mini bus to sustain himself, said the current fuel price has made it almost impossible for drivers to make profit.
According to him, many retirees like himself turned to commercial driving because their retirement benefits are not enough to cater for their needs.
He said, “The retirement benefit is not enough to survive on, so many of us decided to drive Korope (Mini bus). But the increase in fuel price has made things worse. Imagine buying fuel for N5,000 and at the end of the day you go home with just N2,500. Even a labourer who goes to the farm can make about N10,000 a day.”
Oyayode also lamented the high cost of vehicle maintenance, noting that tyres and spare parts are very expensive, while many drivers operate vehicles obtained through hire purchase.
“To buy a Korope vehicle now costs about N8 million or even more on the road. Many of us are using hire purchase. If you already have a vehicle, nobody will lend you money because they believe you are making a lot,” he added.
He explained that the protest was peaceful and that security agencies had been informed beforehand.
“We are not here to cause trouble. We informed the Commissioner of Police and other security authorities about our coming. We even announced it on radio. Our aim is simply to make our voices heard,” he said.
Oyayode also complained about the quality of petrol being sold, describing it as substandard.
“The fuel we buy now does not last. If you drive just a short distance, the fuel is already finished. The meters are not accurate and the petrol is very poor in quality,” he stated.
Another driver, Taiwo Idowu Olatunji, said drivers are struggling because passengers are unwilling to accept increased transport fares despite the high cost of fuel.
He explained that the amount spent on fuel daily has risen significantly.
“Before now, I could buy fuel worth N25,000 in a day, but now you must buy about N40,000. At the same time, passengers are not ready to comply with fare increases,” he said.
Olatunji added that the cost of purchasing Korope (Mini bus) vehicles has risen sharply from about N400,000 in the past to over N8.5 million currently.
He also noted that many drivers pay between N200,000 and N300,000 monthly under hire purchase agreements, warning that failure to meet these payments could lead to serious consequences with vehicle owners.
The drivers further accused officials of their union, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), of failing to support them.
“Our leaders collect daily tickets of N300 from us, yet they are not standing with us. That is why we decided to fight for ourselves,” Olatunji said.
He also complained about frequent harassment from enforcement agencies including the police and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
According to him, after deducting fuel expenses, union tickets and other levies, many drivers are left with little or nothing at the end of the day.
The protesting drivers appealed to passengers to cooperate with them by accepting modest increases in transport fares in order to survive the current economic situation.
“We know things are hard for everyone in the country. If passengers can just add a little to the fare — where they pay N300 they can pay N400, and where it is N500 they can pay N600 — we will all manage together,” he said.
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