Yuletide: Passengers Grumble As Transport Companies Hike Fares By 100%

As Christmas and New Year celebrations draw closer, passengers traveling to Southeast and South-South regions of Nigeria are grumbling as transport companies in Lagos hike fares by about 100 percent.

Findings by THE WHISTLER on Monday showed that most of the transport companies that have routes in the two regions increased their fares by about 100 percent.

At GUO Transport, the fare from Iyana Ipaja, Lagos to Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday was N25,250 for an adult and N20,250 for a child, while Enugu and Abakaliki, Ebonyi State was N23,750 for an adult and N18, 750 for a child.

Similarly, at God Is Good Motors (GIGM), the fares were even higher. From Iyana Ipaja bus terminal to Enugu was N28,800, Awka, Anambra State was N26,400, while Onitsha and Asaba was N26,100, respectively. Also, the fares to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Benin, Edo State were N29,300 and N23,200, respectively.

At Peace Mass Transit and Agofure Motors, the fares were cheaper. While it cost N16,650 to travel to Nsukka, Enugu State, it cost N18,000 to travel to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at Agofure Motors.

Decrying the hike, a passenger who did not give her name told THE WHISTLER that the tendency of these transport companies to take advantage of the yuletide to increase fares astronomically, because of the demand during the season, is uncalled for.

She said that it is understandable that the country is facing economic issues, which could be one of the reasons for the hike, but noted that even at that, the fares should not have been raised by about 100 per cent.

“With my loads, I paid over N26,000. This is too much, but there is nothing I can do about it. I’m traveling to Port Harcourt and usually use flight, but because of the loads I’m carrying, I decided to travel by road,” she said.

“This is just December 19. Before Christmas the fare to Port Harcourt might get to over N30,000 if care is not taken.”

Another passenger who was traveling to Enugu said that although there is increase in the price of petrol, the transport companies are being insensitive by increasing their fares by about 100 percent, without considering the current economic hardship Nigerians are facing.

“I don’t even know what to say about this. The fare is on the high side. It’s more than 100 percent raise. When I travelled to Enugu some months ago, the fare was N12,500, but today I paid N26,000,” he said.

There is need for fares to be regulated, said Williams Ojugbele, a passenger who was traveling to Asaba, Delta State.

Ojugbele stressed that the government and the private sector should make things easier by improving the quality of life of Nigerians.

He called on the government to fix the roads, address insecurity in the country and look into petrol scarcity, which he said is one of the reasons why transport companies are increasing fares.

“Everytime during the yuletide, we’ll be hearing hike in prices. Next week, it (fares) might double, because people want to travel. There should be some form of regulation to cushion the effect on Nigerians,” Ojugbele said.

Reacting, the Manager of God Is Good Motors, Iyana Ipaja bus terminal who refused to give his name, attributed the current hike to high petrol price and inflation.

He noted that it was because of these challenges that the company decided to raise the fares, and not for any other reason.

Efforts to get the reaction of one of the GUO Transport Managers, Bernard Nweke, proved abortive as he was yet to respond to an email sent to him as of the time of filling this report.