By Matthew Tabe
Thousands of commuters who are traveling by road for the Christmas festivities, are lamenting the prohibitive hike in transport fares to the various states of the federation.
A survey conducted by Quest Times on Friday indicated that most of the various motor parks within the Abuja metropolis and suburbs, were subsumed with teeming passengers, a situation which meant that transporters took advantage of crowds to increase fares drastically.
This surge in travelers was visible across Nyanya motor Park, Karu motor Park, Area 10 Park, Area 1 Park and Jabi motor Park within the Abuja metropolis and Mararaba axis in conterminous Nasarawa state.
At Area 1 Park, Benue links now charges N5,000 from N3,000 to Markudi; while a Hummer bus from Utako Marcopolo Park to Port Harcourt now costs N20,000. The same trip cost N15,000 a week ago.
At Mararaba Park of Karu Local Government Area in Narasawa State, Sunny Bright Mass Transit now charges N10,000 per passenger to Enugu from N5,500, while Aba passengers pay N14,000 in fares.
Bus fares to Delta from Abuja averaged N12,000 on Saturday morning in various parks within Jabi, Abuja, where commuter vehicles going in and out of the country’s capital city mostly converge.
At Riversjoy in Jabi Park, 18 Seater buses to Port Harcourt go for N14,500 against the previous fare of N12,000.
A commercial fleet at Area 10 Royal Ryders charges N10,000 to Ilorin as against the N7,000 fare before the Yuletide.
On the major exits from Abuja-Lokoja road, there is a deluge of commuters to the southern parts of the country.
Some of the passengers who spoke to Quest Times, expressed divergent views concerning the astronomical hike in fares.
Mr. Chigozie Vincent said: “Although my family had travelled early this month, I wanted to stay back. I just made up my mind to join them. I’m traveling to Onitsha. I came here and all they are telling us is to pay N12,000. I was shocked because I paid N7,000 for my family earlier.”
According to him, the charges are too outrageous but the joy of Christmas can’t be complete without celebrating one with family.
Another passenger at Area 1 motor park, Mrs. Uden Catrina, said that she paid N11,000 as transport fare from Abuja to Benin as against the N5,000 she used to pay before the fuel price hike and the yuletide.
Also speaking to Quest Times, Andrew Tavershima, a passenger at Karu motor park, said the sum of N4,500 was collected from him for a journey to Makurdi.
Tavershima stressed that he used to pay N2,000 for the same journey before the fuel price hike and the Christmas and New Year festivities.
He reiterated that the increase in fuel price, coupled with the yuletide period, had contributed to the hike in cost of transportation.
One of the commercial drivers, Hasan Jamiu, attributed the transport fare hike to the challenges currently faced by drivers in getting fuel.
“It is only the NNPC and other major filling stations that are selling between N179 to N200 per litre,” he said, while adding that these stations are already chaotic with long queues in Abuja, so he had to buy from other stations.
“There are usually long queues at the few petrol stations selling for between N179 and N200 per litre. One could spend up to six hours before getting fuel.
“I bought fuel for between N250 or N300 per litre yesterday evening, that is why you see the increase in the transport fares. Asides the issue of fuel price hike, we are still going to tip security officers and road safety personnel on the roads,” he added.
He appealed to the Federal Government and other stakeholders in the petroleum sector to urgently address the situation by ensuring close monitoring of petroleum marketers.
Meanwhile, our correspondent observed that more passengers were still trooping to the various motor parks visited; and those already there were seen waiting patiently for vehicles.