Commuters were left stranded in parts of Osogbo, Osun State, after commercial minibus operators, popularly known as Korope, withdrew their vehicles from the roads in protest against the rising cost of petrol.
The operators said the high cost of fuel, spare parts and other household expenses had drastically reduced their daily earnings and made it increasingly difficult to sustain their businesses.
The peaceful protest took place on Wednesday at Ayetoro in Osogbo, with the operators demanding the establishment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations in the state, as well as measures to reduce the cost of running their vehicles.
One of the protesters, Adewumi Adeleke, who spoke to newsmen, said some drivers were spending as much as N40,000 daily on petrol, leaving them with little income after other operational expenses.
“How could you be running this business, spending about N40,000 on fuel a day, and when you get home, all you see is just N5,000 or N3,000? Spare parts and everything are too costly, so we are not comfortable with the situation,” he said.
Adeleke urged the Federal and Osun State governments to accelerate the provision of CNG facilities in Osogbo, saying many operators were willing to convert their vehicles but needed government assistance to make the process affordable and accessible.
Another driver, Prince Olakunle Ojo, said the rising petrol price had made it difficult for operators to make meaningful profits.
“By the time you buy fuel worth N15,000 in the morning and, at the end of the day, you are able to make N13,000, the fuel money is not there, your food money is not there, and you cannot take care of the vehicle,” Ojo said.
Ojo also lamented the absence of CNG stations in Osun, saying drivers who had converted their vehicles were unable to use them effectively.
“There is no single station in Osun State. Many people who have CNG in their vehicles are just keeping it there because Osun State does not have any station we can point to and say this is where you can get CNG,” he said.
The operators also demanded a review of transport fares and improved bus-stop infrastructure, while warning that they could embark on a week-long strike if their grievances were not addressed.
They appealed to the government and transport unions to open dialogue with them to prevent further disruption of public transportation in the state.