‘Facing hardship’ Transport fares go through the roof in Osogbo, commuters complain

Commuters have continued to face hardship in Osogbo, the Osun State capital following the commencement of the construction of the Ola-Iya flyover.

The state government, on Friday, February 19 closed the Ola-Iya junction to commence the flyover which according to Osun government, could be completed in nine months.

Commercial transporters have continued to extort people of the state capital. This development according to analyst could result in inflation which could further affect the economy of the state.

The cost of transportation has risen significantly to the indignation of commuters whose finances have equally been depleted by economic inactivity occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings by Freelanews showed that the cost of transportation has skyrocketed by over 100 per cent in the last few days, a development many would partly attribute to the increase in prices of goods and services in Osogbo, the state capital of Osun.

Commuters are accusing commercial bus operators of profiteering at the expense of the commuting public.

A passenger, Tunde Olaide told Freelanews that despite that government provides alternatives route which did not really affect the commercial buses, the transporters are still extorting the passengers. He lamented that it is double suffering for the commuters.

“Before the commencement of the flyover, the transport fare from Fakunle to Ayetoro was N50, but it has been raised to N80. Olaiya to Ilesa Garage was N50 but now N100 because the drivers were compelled to take a one-way route. This is pure wickedness,” the passenger lamented.

A Civil servant, Kafayat Adekunle lamented the ordeal workers are facing due to the new development. She said that since they have to trek to some places before getting a bus, the commercial drivers increasing the transport fare is an act of iniquity.

“The most dangerous part of it is that the price would not go back to normal when everything goes back to the old order,” Adekunle noted.

However, some of the commercial transporters claimed the increase was due to the recent announcement by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva that alerted the public to get ready for another increment in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

She said, “There is no argument that the recent warning by the federal government on the possible increase in the price of petrol which has not been implemented yet would result to the increase in the price of transportation.”

She urged the state government and other unions of transport workers to work towards addressing the “unpleasant” hike of transportation fare in Osogbo.