Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Doors of government offices, as well as banks and few other corporate organisations are expected to reopen for official businesses today, following the expiration of the two-day Sallah break declared by the Federal Government.
The holidays was to allow Muslims in Nigeria join their counterparts across the world to celebrate the Eid el-kabir.
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially the city centre, was deserted due to the mass exodus of residents who had, in spite of the perceived economic hardship travelled out of Abuja to spend the holidays with family and friends.
Residents who could not travel claimed to have enjoyed the holidays in Abuja.
However, our correspondents who visited major motor parks in Abuja, yesterday afternoon, observed increase in private and commercial vehicles returning to the city from different entry routes.
Daily Sun was reliably informed by an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who identified himself as Yunusa that the bad economic” situation in Nigeria affected the quality of life of the people.
“Before now, people use this period to travel to their home towns/states or elsewhere to celebrate with friends and families but the case was totally different this period.
“Our passengers complained bitterly about lack of money, high cost of living and significant increase in poverty.”
The NURTW official said that people who travelled this period were those who might have genuine reasons to do so, unlike in the past that they willingly visit friends and family just for the fun of it.
“We ought to increase the transport fare due to several reasons but we could not, because we wanted more people to travel. Yet, the turn out was not encouraging.”
However, a passenger, who identified himself as Nuhu told our correspondent that he traveled to Taraba State to celebrate with his family.
“I had the opportunity to get refreshed and revitalised to face the tough socioeconomic situation in Nigeria.”