Passengers travelling to different parts of the country ahead of the
yuletide have decried the hike in transportation fares as result of
persisted fuel scarcity.
At the popular Jabi motor park in Abuja, a passenger Grace Abiodun said
that the increase in fare during yuletide was not a new development in the
country.
Abiodun noted that it was the usual practice of transporters to increase
fare during festive seasons.
She, however, expressed concern that the lingering fuel scarcity and the
current economic situation in the country had added more pains to
travelers and Nigerian masses.
“Before now, I used to pay N2,000 from here to Ankpa in Kogi State, but
today I am paying N3,000.
“ The situation is bad, it is unbearable but we cannot stop moving because
we have important things to do in our various places,” she said.
Another traveler, Mr. Akinjide Emmanuel said he paid N6,5000 to travel to
Lagos as against the N4,500 he had paid on the same route some weeks ago.
Emmanuel urged the federal government to find a solution to the continuous
fuel scarcity plaguing the nation, to ameliorate the suffering of the
masses.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Zaria Line at Jabi Park, said a significant
drop in turn out of travelers this year, compared to previous years.
He said that even though there was fuel scarcity, motorists had restrained
themselves from hiking price arbitrarily due to the low turn out of
passengers and the economic situation in the country.