Some commercial motorists in Osun State have lamented the alleged increase in the daily levies they pay through the purchase of tickets from personnel of the Osun Transport Management Service.
The drivers, who operate minibuses popularly known as Korope in the state, accused some of the officials of OSTMS of harassing them whenever they complain of alleged extortion through multiple charges.
According to the commercial transporters, the OSTMS officials inflate the price of the ticket and also demand that they collect two tickets daily.
They said efforts to call the attention of the leadership of the state transport union to the issue have been futile.
An altercation between a driver and one of the ticketers stationed around Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, had ensued last week over ticketing.
Trouble started when the ticketer issued a ticket of N50 to the minibus driver and demanded a fee of N100.
The driver, who later gave his name as Qaudri Omoniyi, questioned why he should pay N100 for a ticket of N50, a situation that degenerated into verbal abuse.
Speaking after grudgingly paying the N100, Omoniyi, who spoke in Yoruba, lamented that collecting a sum above the normal price has been the practice of the ticketers.
He said, “We collect different tickets every day. Those people have been swindling us. On this particular one, N50 was written on the ticket but the ticketers are collecting N100 from us.
“I intentionally challenged them today because I am frustrated. Imagine buying petrol at N950 per litre and paying over the normal price for tickets also.
“We have complained about this to some of our leaders but nothing positive has come up till now. Everyone in position in this country is just out to make life more difficult for ordinary Nigerians.”
Another driver who witnessed the altercation corroborated Omoniyi’s claims, adding that he sometimes paid twice for the same ticket.
The driver who gave his name simply as Wasiu stated that tickets issued in Osogbo are not recognised in other parts of the state.
“We are tired and hoping that the state government and the leadership of the transport management system will find a solution to this.
“Sometimes, when I collect a ticket in Osogbo, those at Ilobu and Ifon will reject it and request I pay for another one. It is the same ticket,” the driver said.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the chairman of the park management system, Nurudeen Wakili proved abortive as his telephone line was not connecting.
