Minibus Drivers Lament Extortion By OSTMS Staff

 

Kazeem Badmus

COMMERCIAL drivers of minibus popularly called Korope in the State of Osun have lamented the alleged extortion by some staff of the Osun State Transport Management System (OSTMS). 

According to the drivers who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Monday, some of the OSTMS staff, particularly those issuing tickets for them have not been obeying the directive of the state government on its one ticketing system policy.  

It would be recalled that Governor, Ademola Adeleke in January, 2023, announced a new transport management system for the state with a triple objective of securing the motor parks, creating thousands of jobs and increasing the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.

The Governor, through the consultant on Motor Park Management, Prof. Abdulrahman Afonja, also warned those selling two tickets to desist, saying the system gave no other person the right to sell a ticket on behalf of the government except those contracted by the consultant. 

However, the drivers said some ticket issuers working for the OSTMS have placed extra charge on them apart from the N200 daily ticket. 

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, a minibus driver, Kayode Babalola, said the OSTMS ticket issuers at Ido Osun do collect N100 from the minibus drivers without issuing any receipt for it. 

According to Babalola, the OSTMS workers at Ido Osun engaged in the action whenever a driver plying the road collected his daily ticket from another branch. 

He said the staff would claim that the ticket collected do not cover their area, hence the need for them to collect an additional N100.

Babalola said: “We are passing through a lot in the hands of these people and nobody is ready to fight for our cause. 

“If I collect my ticket at Ido Osun, I won’t pay any other money when I get to Osogbo but if I collect the ticket in Osogbo, those at Ido Osun will collect extra money from me even if I present the ticket to them.

“What they always tell us is that they are on the outskirt of Osogbo and can do whatever they want. They will collect N100 from each of the drivers that do not collect tickets from them without issuing any receipt. 

“It is very painful because what we heard the Governor saying was that no one should collect more than the N200 daily ticket and that anyone caught issuing double ticket will be prosecuted. I want the government to help us”.

Another driver who identified himself as Ola Mummy told the medium that drivers plying Okinni/Ilobu/ Ifon road were also victims of the extortions.

According to him, the transport ticket issuers at the popular Ojuti bridge and Ifon also collected additional fee from the drivers, not minding that they had already collected their daily tickets. 

He added that the same thing was going on in Dagbolu area, Osogbo. 

He said: “These people do not care if you have collected your ticket from another place or not. So far you didn’t collect the ticket from them, they will charge you an extra fee without giving you a  receipt. 

“Where is this money going to? The government had a good initiative for the state transport system but a lack of proper monitoring might jeopardise it.

“The likes of the people we are talking about are the ones who will stain the good names of the Governor and those in charge of the transport system. 

“ If the charges they are billing us are too much, what will be our gain at the end of the day. Those in authority have to look into this and help us”.