Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki with agency report
Few hours to Christmas, commuters travelling from Lagos to other parts of the country by road, are groaning and weeping over the astronomical hike in fares.
The travellers in separate interviews at various motor parks in Jibowu area, Mazamaza, Ojota, Berger, Yaba parks all in Lagos, said the development was compounding the hardship in the land.
A Benin-bound traveller, Mr. James Uche, said the hike was abnormal, as he was not prepared for the 100 per cent hike.
Uche, who spoke to NAN at Edegbe Motors at Jibowu, said: “I boarded this bus at Ajah and paid N9,600 for a trip to Benin, and I also paid another N9,600 for a seat for my luggage.
“Meanwhile, because passengers were not forthcoming, the bus carried us to Jibowu here to fill all seats. I never bargained for this, it is painful.”
A cleric, Tony O. Tony, who took his brother travelling to Owerri to Chisco park, said the fare had jumped from N7,000 to N13, 000.
“It should not be so because there is no hike in fuel price, gridlock has been there, road condition has been there also. So, there is no justification for this pain being inflicted on people, especially the masses.”
A Port Harcourt-bound traveller at Veno Tours, Mr. Joseph Eleyi, said fares were unfriendly, as he had to pay N12,000 as against N6,500. He blamed it on the season, bad road and multiple checkpoints.
Mr. Monday Ani, a businessman travelling to Enugu from Ifesinachi Express park, said the fare, which rose from N6,000 to N10,200, was unfair, considering the harsh economy.
At Chibest Park, an Abuja-bound lady, Miss Titilayo Aina, said the fare jumped from 5,000 to N8,000 because of the season.
Fare for Lagos to Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Enugu and other eastern parts was going for over N20, 000 in many of the parks.
An official at Chisco Transport said the increase was usual during the season.
“That is how it has always been, even since the days of our parents. Fares are increased during festive seasons, so nothing is abnormal here. People are shouting too much now maybe because there is no money in town.”
On what government could do to alleviate hardship on the roads, the travellers called for speedy road rehabilitation and checkmating of extortion at numerous checkpoints.
According to them, most transport operators consider the challenges and factor them into the fare, which is usually passed down to the poor masses.
However, last minutes Christmas female shoppers now hide money in their undies to avoid being mugged at Balogun Market in Lagos.
The female shoppers at the market have to device means of hiding their valuables from pickpockets who had invaded the market in large numbers.
Miss Lovelyn Shedrach, said: “No one is to be trusted in this kind of market, especially a crowded one, everyone to me is a suspect. I don’t let people get too close to me in the market, even when they do, I’m always careful.”
Another shopper, Mrs Ukamaka Dike, also raised alarm of her purse being stolen which contained her phone, Identity card and money.
Mrs. Veronica Bassey, who shops at the market regularly, said pickpocketing was a usual occurrence especially during festive periods.
“For a market that is always crowded, especially during this season, one needs to be careful. I have been a victim of pickpocketing and that day I was stranded,’’ Bassey said.
Mr. Adeyemi Tobi, a trader who sells bags, said that the market was a busy place where only the smart and vigilant can survive.
“It is not only buyers’ purses that are stolen, traders’ goods are also being stolen. For both buyers and sellers, one need to be vigilant in order to avoid loss of valuables,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, rice farmers and millers in Ebonyi are lamenting low patronage of their commodity even at the peak of the yuletide period.
The farmers and millers said they had expected to record good sells of the commodity and make corresponding gains by this period of the yuletide but that the reverse was the case.
They attributed the development to the crash in the price and also the delay in payment of workers salaries by the state government.
A visit by Daily Sun to Abakaliki Rice Mill industry, yesterday, indicated that a 25kg bag of rice which was previously sold between N7,000 and N8,000 when Federal Government closed borders is currently selling between N6,000 and N7,000.
One of the rice farmers and millers, Chief Simon Adiekwe, who said he started milling in the industry since 1980, said people from east and west were trooping to the industry to buy the commodity in large quantity when borders were closed but now it is no longer the same in this yuletide period.