The Association of Campus bus drivers vacated the school premises yesterday evening, leaving students stranded due to the rejected hike in transportation prices.
The sudden hike in transportation was due to the recent increase in fuel prices and scarcity. According to the welfare director of the Great Ife Students Union, an emergency meeting was held at exactly 2 pm yesterday with the leadership of the bike men.
The meeting had the Chairman and Secretary of the Campus Aesthetic and Trade Regulatory Committee (CATREC), Division of Students Affairs, about 10 leadership of bike men, and the President alongside the welfare director of the Great Ife Students Union in attendance.
“The meeting was supposed to be held on the 11th of this month but was hastened due to overwhelming reports of extortion of students by the motorcyclists.
Although an agreement was reached before the arrival of the leadership of the Student union, the meeting hasn’t been finalised. The old, proposed and agreed prices will be reviewed in the next meeting.
The final discussion will be held on Monday but the existing fares should be maintained” the welfare director explained.
In addition, after the meeting with the bike men, the leadership of the Student Union tried to engage with bus drivers not to inflate prices without a prior agreement being made.
In response, they flared up and pushed some of the union officers. Later in the evening, they all left the school premises in utmost annoyance saying an order came from above and asked them to leave.
Immediately, the union officials created an alternative by making the Union bus available to transport students to the Campus gate. They also made sure private cars were stopped to ease transportation for students.
For almost 4 hours, the Union Officers opted for other alternatives, ensuring students got to the Campus gate in time. A meeting has also been scheduled with the leadership of the bus drivers today, but the time hasn’t been confirmed.