From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Road transport operators in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, recorded low turnout of passengers during the Christmas and New Year festivities as compared to last year’s celebrations.
This, according to Daily Sun findings, was due to a number of factors including, insecurity, high cost of transport fare occasioned by fuel scarcity and high cost of foodstuffs.
Unlike other years, buses would have been booked two weeks to the Christmas Day. But in 2022 the case was quite different as vehicles were still empty on the Christmas and New Year’s days. Even with the low number of passengers, the fares were very high. This was attributed fuel scarcity, high cost of fuel, spare parts and vehicles.
For instance, a trip from Abuja to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, cost between N30,000 and N35,000 (as against N10,000 or N12,000 the previous years). Movement from Abuja to Awka, Anambra State, cost between N20,000 and N25,000 (N6,000 and N8,000 before now). A trip from Abuja to Lagos which cost about N10,000 last year is now N25,000.
Similarly, a bus trip from Abuja to Kano is between N9,000 and N10,000 as against last year’s N5,000.
At Nyanya Motor Park, some intending passengers were seen wanting to travel. But the previous years, passengers ran head over heels towards scanty vehicles.
At one of the bus terminals in Utako, the story was the same. As at 7am, the buses were yet to move because of low turnout of passengers.
The scenario was quite different last year when at 7am all the upcountry vehicles had left their stations.
As the fares were unbearable for some commuters, night travel became an inevitable option. This is because it was cheaper than day travel. Whereas day travel was between N30,000 and N35,000, the night travel was between N20,000 and N25,000 for the same journey.
Mrs Chinyere Chinonso said she did not have enough money to travel in the day. Night journey was inevitable for her: “Although, it is a painful option I do not have another alternative because my mother is critically ill and I must have to travel to see her.
“This is a journey I dread to make because of the risks involved. I just have to go because of my mother.” A driver told Daily Sun that even with the high cost of fares, it is still difficult to make ends meet. He said that he would fuel the Sienna bus three times before getting to his destination, Owerri. Each time he fuels his car he spends N15,000:
“This Sienna takes a maximum of seven passengers and each passenger pays N30,000. Thirty thousand times seven passengers is N210,000.
Then, calculate the wear and tear and the servicing of the vehicles.
Sometimes, to fix a small damage might take the whole money.”
There are some Abuja residents who would have travelled but for insecurity and travel cost they suspended their trip. Madam Loveth said beside the transport cost their hometown, Orlu, Imo State, is “headquarters” of the underworld men:
“We can’t afford to go home at this time. However, my husband will travel later for a family meeting. After that he will come back. All my children are here (Abuja) and they will go back to school from here.”
What was quite noticeable in Abuja during the festive period was the presence of coaster buses and “El-Rufai” buses. Last year, most of the coaster buses and “El-Rufai” buses travelled to the eastern part of the country because the luxury buses were not enough to convey passengers.
But this year, most of the coaster buses that used to travel upcountry were not able to do so because of scarcity of passengers.
On intra-city fare, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Transport Fare Watch, said the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased by 0.12 per cent on a month-on-month from N636.30 to N637.10.
