… Traffic congestion disappears in some states
By Enyeribe Ejiogu, Agatha Emeadi (Lagos), Tony John (Port Harcourt), Joe Effiong (Uyo), Oluseye Ojo (Ibadan), Obinna Odogwu (Awka), Okey Sampson (Umuahia), Layi Olanrewaju (Ilorin), Lateef Dada (Osogbo), Paul Osuyi (Asaba), Tony Osauzo (Benin), Priscilla Ediare (Ado-Ekiti), Scholastica Onyeka (Makurdi), Olanrewaju Lawal (Birnin Kebbi), Emmanuel Adeyemi (Lokoja), Jude Dangwam (Jos)
Nigerians in the various socio-economic strata are finding ways to adjust to the removal of subsidy on petrol by the President Bola Tinubu administration, which saw the pump price of the vital product jump from an average of N194 to N500 and even N600 in some parts of the country. The Darwinian adaptation to the new realities has brought changes to the lifestyle of people in all walks of life, as individuals, families and even businesses scramble to survive.
These changes range from abandoning old practices that have suddenly become wasteful, like running generators at home for long hours, movements around town that were undertaken without clear goals in mind, social expenses that were incurred just for the joy and fun of doing so. These days people now think twice before incurring expenditure.
In the wake of the removal of subsidy, how are Nigerians coping with the impact of the government’s policy? Sunday Sun reporters paint a picture of the situation in the six geopolitical zones.
IMO
In Imo State, the primary idea behind the popular book by renowned American Preacher and Motivational Speaker, Dr. Robert Schuller, author of ‘Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do’ is manifesting in the resolve of individuals in the state, whose slogan is ‘The Eastern Heartland,’ to ride out of the additional hardship brought on them by the steep rise in prices of goods and services, following the instantaneous implementation of the policy decision by petrol station operators across the country.
One notable grandfather in Imo State who has adopted some survival strategies is 74-year-old Chief Ogbonna Okoro, a native of Obohia in Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State, who retired as a teacher many years ago and now receives a paltry pension, which is not even regular – a malaise that has been passed from one administration in the state to the one succeeding it.
On how he is coping with the present situation, Chief Okoro said: “Since most of us, especially from the Southeast survived the civil war, there is no situation we cannot survive. Even when COVID-19 ravaged many countries in the world, Nigerians were not hit as other civilized countries, which recorded tremendous losses, the reason we survived was because we have not experienced any form of golden spoon. Our life has been a case of going from one form of challenge to another.
“The most painful aspect is that new administration unleashed hardship on the people right from the first day it was inaugurated. It did not bother to settle down, hear the cries of the people and feel their pain, he removed fuel subsidy without addressing some loopholes and embezzlement in governance.
“On May 28, I went to Owerri and paid N300 from Eke Ahiara Junction to Owerri. Two days after, I had to pay N500 for the same route because of fuel subsidy removal. You then ask, how much do I receive as pension and how often does it come? The problem is that any time fuel crisis happens in Nigeria, it affects the prices of all goods and services, but we must survive.”
Expressing similar frustration over the sharp increase in the pump price of petrol, a lawyer, Mr Ejike Okenna, said that he has strictly cut down on the kind of places he goes with his Toyota Prado SUV. Since the increase in pump price, it now costs him N56,000 to fill the tank of the vehicle. For this reason, he only goes out when there is need and it is compulsory for him to go out.
“Gone are the days I would drive to all places whether necessary or not. With fuel price holding Nigerians by the jugular, most of the times I work from my bedroom to curtail expenses. Also gone are the days when I would run my generator all night. Now, the moment I am done with what I need to do, I put it off for the next day. One good thing is that I do not have little babies to feed any more. If it was when my wife and I were starting life, with a full house, only God knows what would have been happening by now. I pity couples who are raising young children under the present economic situation.”
Under a makeshift shelter built from discarded corrugated zinc roofing sheets, a middle-aged woman known as Mama Ekene, fries and sells akara (bean cake) at the junction of Afor-Oru in the same local government area. With the money she makes from selling the akara, she strives to support her family. In the face of the new realities, Mama Ekene said she added other things she could sell to the customers: “I started selling bread and sachet water. The cost of transportation is killing and we need the new government to feel our pains and hear our cries. The feeding pattern of my family has changed. Before it was three times a day. But we have been forced to change that to ensure that everyone eats. Instead of the tea and bread breakfast, I changed the feeding partner to heavier food like beans and yam which can hold my children as teenagers longer before dinner is served.”
RIVERS
The sharp and unexpected hike in fuel price has affected the lifestyle of people living in Rivers State. The adjustment is witnessed mostly in the social life of the people and in the area of transportation. Families and homes have cut down expenses and now run rigid family budgets and prioritize activities and logistics to survive the obvious realities.
Some residents who spoke with Sunday Sun noted that without adjusting their lifestyle, it would be difficult to cope with the challenges caused by the sharp increase in pump price. They said they have curtailed movements and clubbing, as well as partying. Some who have cars said sometimes, they use public transport to avoid buying petrol for their self-driven cars.
One of the residents, Mr Sunny Ohimai, said that he has reduced the number of hours he runs generator set daily. He disclosed that he has switched from using a big generator to a much smaller one which consumes less fuel.
He said: “Before, I used to run a generator from 5:00p.m to 11:00p.m (six hours), but now I run it from 6:00p.m or 6:30p.m to 10:00p.m (three and half to four hours). Within the new period, we make sure we utilize the light and do all that we need to do in the house. So, I have reduced the hours we run generator every day.
“Now, there is no more indiscriminate movements. One controls where he goes to. Movements now are based on cost implication. One has to reduce outings with cash too. The cost of fuel is very high now. The 30 litres I used to buy N7,000 before is about N25,000 now. So, we are very careful on how we spend money now.”
Also, Mr Angus Chukwuka, a legal practitioner, said that coping with the fuel pump price presents a huge challenge to him like every other Nigerian.
He said: “As an austerity measure, unnecessary movements have been curtailed. Some of the things that would have been done by physical visit are now conducted through voice calls on the phone and social media communication like WhatsApp chat and exchange of SMS messages.
OYO
In Oyo State, the increase in price of PMS has significantly compelled people to adjust to a new lifestyle, adopting some strategies to cut down expenses with a view to coping and surviving the tough times.
The evidence of these survival measures has been noticed on major roads in Ibadan, the state capital, as fewer vehicles now ply the roads. Some points where car owners used to encounter serious traffic snarl have been very free from logjam these days.
An opinion poll conducted in Ibadan revealed that many car owners have dropped their cars at home, and have embraced public transportation system, such as commercial motorcycles, tricycles, taxicab and commuter buses to get to their destinations. It was observed that though fares have also gone up, it is still within the range of 50, 70, and 100 per cent, depending on the area, and means of transportation.
On the part of the state government, Governor Seyi Makinde has rolled out palliatives to make life more comfortable for residents of the state.
The government has set up a committee to look into how the salaries of civil servants can be increased.
Reassuring the people, the governor said. “But I know that everyone in Oyo State is not a civil servant. So, we have decided to deploy more Omituntun buses (government long buses) to ease off the transportation worries. I have directed that there should be no increase in fare being paid on these buses. Furthermore, schoolchildren and our senior citizens will board these buses at half price. We will continue to look into other ways of easing the burden you bear.”
A resident of Ibadan, Mr Debo Adeoye, told Sunday Sun: “I am using KIA Picanto car. It is a small car and its fuel economy is superb. Still, I don’t go out to work everyday. It is more cost-efficient to go on public transportation system than to drive your car now.
“If I leave my house in Ojoo, N100 will take me to the bus stop where I would wait for government bus. From Ojoo to Iyaganku, it is N200. It means that N300 will take me to work if I am not driving. The N300 cannot even buy a litre of petrol. And we are talking of about distance of about 20 kilometres. This means I will not spend up to N1,000 per day on public transportation. But my car will consume nothing less than eight litres to go to my office and return to my house.”
ANAMBRA
In Anambra, prices of goods and services instantly shot up once President Tinubu announced the policy change. At the moment, filling stations sell a litre of petrol between N530 and N550 in the state. In fact, a day after the subsidy removal was announced, many filling stations in the state sold at N600 per litre before it later came down to where it is today. Prices of goods and services, especially transportation costs went up with the price of fuel.
To cope with this new development, many residents of the state have since made lifestyle adjustments. They said that they now spend money only on the things they really need.
Mike, an artisan at Amaenyi village, Awka, told Sunday Sun that he used to go out every evening after work to relax at any relaxation centre of his choice within the town, but he only does that now only on weekends.
“One way or the other, it may be affecting the business of those people because if other persons begin to do like that, who will now be patronising those entertainment centres during the week?” he queried, adding that “the thing is affecting everybody.”
Mike said that he has quite a number of responsibilities that require money every day and as such needed to adjust his lifestyle to be able to also take care of his other financial needs.
A civil servant who preferred anonymity said that the impact of the hike in pump price is telling on her salary. She said that she has a lot of responsibilities to take care of, wondering how she was supposed to cope.
“Prices of some of the goods we buy from the markets have doubled. But the salary has remained where it is. How are people going to cope? Things are just very expensive now. But the best option remains to adjust your lifestyle, ” she said.
A commercial tricycle (Keke NAPEP) operator, Sunny Nweke, said that the hike in pump price was affecting his business. He said that his income had dropped because people no longer moved about too often as they used to do before.
“Today, N1,000 cannot even buy two litres of fuel for you. And when you tell the passengers to pay N150 for a destination they used to pay N100 before, they will start arguing. It is not easy at all,” he lamented.
ABIA
Residents of Abia State have adopted different strategies and made lifestyle adjustments to survive. For instance, many vehicle owners have parked them and resorted to using public transport for their movements within the urban areas and destinations within the state.
John Ume is a trader in Umuahia. Since the sharp increase in petrol price, he said he no longer comes out with his car.
“Before the sharp increase in petrol price, I used to buy 30 litres of fuel between N7,500 and N8,000, but now to buy the same 30 litres, one has to spend over N15,000.
“If one continues this way, there is no way the person would meet up with other demands of life. Therefore, the best thing is to park the car at home and use public means of transportation which is more economical.”
The survival strategy is not limited to car owners. At homes, many who hitherto could not stay without electricity and would switch on their generator when power outage occurs no longer put those generating sets on.
Socially, residents have also adopted different strategies to stay afloat this period of hardship occasioned by the triple increase in fuel pump price.
Before now, many at the close of work or business would go to beer parlours or other joints to unwind, but the trend has seriously reduced all in a bid to cope with the dictates of the day.
While some people have resorted to eating food without meat, others deliberately skip meals in other to meet up with the present realities. It is this bad.
KWARA
In response to the hardship caused by subsidy removal, the Kwara State government reduced the number of days staff would come to work, to three days. Moreover, to save money. many workers have opted to using public transport instead of using their personal vehicles to save money. Also, those living in the same area or commute from the same axis now go to work in car pools, alternating the days each person would use his or her car to convey others to the secretariat. But the majority have resorted to trekking, saying it is part of physical exercise. Others park their vehicles at locations that would not cost more than N100 to get to the office. After close of work, they would come back to pick their vehicles. Many others have rehabilitated their abandoned motorcycles and bicycles to take them to their offices.
However, commuters now stand longer periods at bus stops unlike before as there are fewer vehicles on the road to take them to their destinations. Hajiya Silifat Bukoye, a civil servant, noted that since the increase in price of petrol, her household has stopped using generator, saying it is no longer affordable because of the prohibitive cost of running it.
“We prefer sleeping in darkness now. I have to think of how I will fuel the vehicle that will take my children to school and also fuel the generator. No way! We have to pick the one that is most essential to us. My children going to school is more important to me for now,” Bukoye said.
Despite the availability of petrol at the new price of N510 to N520, most people are no longer buying because they cannot afford it. Hence, petrol station owners and pump attendants are lamenting over low patronage as customers have drastically reduced volume of purchases. Some of the fuel station owners and pump attendants wear gloomy faces as sales have gone down.
Mr Ezekiel Ajetomobi, a dealer, explained that most customers now buy between 10 litres and 20 litres of petrol as against the 30 litres and 50 litres they used to buy. He said his fuel station used to exhaust its stock within four days before the price increase.
“It is now getting to two weeks and we still have large volume of petrol unsold,’’ he lamented.
Another dealer, Alhaji Aliyu Sunmonu, also lamented that many of his regular customers had reduced their volume of purchases.
OSUN
In Osun, people have been forced to adopt frugal lifestyle by using their generators and cars sparingly. Sunday Sun gathered that some people now avoid unimportant visitation to friends and now do more of phone conversations and chats to cut costs.
Churches with members that live afar off have witnessed a significant drop in attendance to programmes and Sunday services as those members have chosen to worship at churches within walking distance.
Speaking with Sunday Sun, Toba Adedeji said that he has stopped using generator to watch films at night. He has also started to wash his clothes himself, to save the money previously spent on drycleaning.
He also said: “It is cheaper to make WhatsApp calls, and chat on Facebook, to avoid unnecessary calls. It is now that I know one can pray in his room without going to church at a far place to worship.
“I have been washing my clothes recently and starch it by myself. Some big men in the streets are no longer leaving generators to run unnecessarily like before. Some have abandoned their cars because public transport is affordable despite the hike in the fare.”
EDO
In Benin, the Edo State capital, many car owners have resorted to prioritising the number of days they drive their cars in a week. Consequently, the usual heavy vehicular traffic on most of the city’s roads has reduced.
Similarly, many people have also resorted to trekking some distance before boarding commercial vehicles to reduce the cost of their transport daily while others now use bicycles as their means of movement.
Some individuals who cannot afford daily high cost of transport to their places of work or business, have chose to reduce the number of days they go to work, just as many others now make phones calls to places they would normally visit prior to fuel subsidy removal.
In the same vein, many persons who spoke to Sunday Sun said that they now embark on only important journeys as a way of cutting costs.
DELTA
In Asaba, the Delta State capital, families are opting to withdraw their children from schools that are far from home and enrol them in nearby schools. Implementation of that measure may commence by September when the new academic session begins, Sunday Sun learnt.
Meanwhile, most households in the metropolis have reduced the number of hours they run generators, particularly as public power supply is becoming irregular.
Mr Dominic Nwachukwu, a resident in the DLA area of the state capital, said that the current situation has forced him to think twice before incurring expenditure.
“I have asked everyone in my house to adjust to the new regime. Firstly, no more generator until at about 7:00p.m to 9:00p.m, that is if there is no public power supply within that period. If there is no light on weekends to watch football matches, the generator will not be a substitute to provide power. I have now discovered that watching matches does not really add value to the home.
“Besides, we have also cut down on cooking. Before now, we used to cook and keep in the fridge. But we have to stop it because power supply remains epileptic, and we can’t be spending all the household income on fuel just to preserve food.
“Until power supply significantly improves, we will not be cooking much to keep in the fridge,” he said.
Another respondent, Benson Ochei, said that he has drummed it into the ears of his household members to reduce the rate at which they visit friends and relatives.
According to Ochei, the era of paying transport fare or fuelling a car for the purpose of visitation ostensibly to gossip has passed.
“Whatever to be discussed is to be done on the phone rather than embarking on such frivolous visits,” he stated.
EKITI
“Now, I only go to very important or unavoidable places,” the Ekiti State Chairman, Maize Growers Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria(MAGPAMAN), and also the Ekiti State Vice Chairman, Arable Crops (All Farmers Association of Nigeria), Mr Omoyajowo B. John said while explaining the measures he has adopted to cope with the adverse effect of the removal of subsidy.
He added: “I have increased the number of phone calls I make to most people instead of going to see them. In some cases, I walk halfway to reduce transportation cost. I have also cut down on commodities consumed at home because prices are high and as a father I have cut down on the number of meals per day.
“Likewise, laundry is now a family affair in totality as I do my laundry at home because laundry charges have increased. As soup ingredients are out of reach (all types). I have resorted to native or local mixtures to offer buffer to body resistance.”
A professor in one of the universities in the state said: “I buy only 20 litres in a visit to petrol station whereas I used to fill my tank. The amount I expend on 20 liters would previously require me to add N2,000 to it to fill my tank.
“I have also prioritised my outings. Only extremely important outings I embark on. I have also refused to embark on travelling to conduct external examination. I have asked a university that invited me for oral examination for a doctoral candidate to change from physical to online since they weren’t ready to calculate my milage using the new rate of petrol price.
“I have also reduced the frequency of my going to office to only when I have lectures, which I have reduced to twice in a week. I am also considering teaching my students online.”
Mrs Lawrence, a business woman, told Sunday Sun: “Most times I don’t go with my car to my shop and I also go to some places by commercial motorcycle because the type of car I use consumes too much petrol. Moreover, I only put on my generator when I have job to do.”
A police officer in the state said: “For me, where I used to go twice or more in a day, I reduced it to once. I trek the journey that is not far, I also adjusted my feeding and other basic needs so as to survive the hardship.”
KEBBI
In Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, most people now trek distances that are a few kilometres to cut down their daily transport fares to get to offices. Others who have cars have abandoned them for unnecessary trips and now use motorcycles that have been idle at home.
People who do not have important businesses in many areas are now avoiding such places. In the villages, people contribute money and give their neighbours going to the major markets to buy items for them, such as foodstuff and other needed items.
A pharmacist in Birnin Kebbi, Mr Muhammad Abubakar, explained that he has started using his long abandoned “ladies motorcycle” to make necessary trips.
“I can’t afford buying fuel worth N40,000 frequently in my car. But with this lady machine, which we call ‘Rubber’ here, I can use it to take my children to school, come to shop and do other local running,” he said.
AKWA IBOM
Small scale employers in Akwa Ibom may resort to downsizing in order to make ends meet following the sudden hardship which the new petrol price regime has imposed on them.
One of such employers is a retired public servant, Godwin Okon (Snr), who runs a small-to-medium scale business. He told Sunday Sun that the new price regime has bitten hard on his business, even though he is in support of the removal of petroleum subsidy.
His words: “As a retired public servant, I am already feeling the pinch of the decision, but at the same time, I am totally in support of it, especially as the new president has demonstrated in words and deeds, since assumption of office that he means well for the nation.
“No doubt, the era of extravagance among individuals and the government, appears to be taking the exit door, as Nigerians must of necessity learn to live within their means and cut their cloth according to their size.
“Many small businesses are folding up by the day due to low patronage occasioned by lack of money. I am contemplating laying off my shop attendants as salary reduction is not an option. To fill my car tank with petrol is now a thing of the past. Similarly, attendance at social events such as marriages and burials, is determined by a number of factors including proximity, relevance, availability of free transportation etc. For now, phone calls, which in any case, must be brief and straight to the point, are copiously used to replace visits to friends, relatives and loved ones.
“My prayer is that the condition will not lead to increase in the number of broken marriages.”
Also speaking, Dominic Akpan, a journalist, said that the hike in the price of petrol has dug a big hole in his pocket.
“I’m a public servant and my salary has not been adjusted to reflect the new pump price of PMS. Expectedly, the prices of goods and services have hit the roof top. To balance my expenditure so that I can take care of other family needs, I now restrict myself to buying 10 litres of fuel a week for my car. Also, we go for alternative products for the family. Instead of complete beverages for the children, we now buy the one that contains a higher quantity of milk and other ingredients for them.
“The effect of the price hike is absolute and we just had to make adjustments at the family level. The summary is that we spend on what is absolutely necessary for the family,” Akpan said.
PLATEAU
Citizens of Plateau State have embraced trekking as some others use commercial transport system which is more affordable than using their personal cars.
Those who spoke to Sunday Sun said that they are enjoying the health benefits of trekking. Mr Obed Dashe, a resident of Jos said: “Pump price is something else this days, I have to regulate my movements because it is not sustainable. Most often times I do trek especially when the distance is not much.
“We were not used to this, but because entering fuel station comes with some sort of fast heartbeat because your pocket will tell you, and for that we have to also adjust.”
Meanwhile, Mr Davou Chuwang, described the ongoing industrial action in the state by civil servants as a contributory factor to the hardship citizens are passing through.
“Because of the strike, there is no money in circulation, sometimes I will have to keep my car and board commercial tricycles. Sometimes I use taxi or buses, they are better options than using my personal car.”
Another resident, Mrs Chizoba Nwachukwu, who expressed concern on the multiplier effect of increase of fuel price on commodities in the state, said: “Nothing you will touch this days in the market that you won’t hear of fuel price.
“If you enter keke, you have to price first if not ‘na wahala’, I have resorted to trekking. They do say it is part of exercise, so we will continue to trek until government makes provision for some means of transportation.
“I do shop once a week, if I enter Terminus today I will ensure I buy what I will use for the week in order not to keep coming back again, just to buy one thing or the other.”
BENUE
In Makurdi, Benue State capital, many civil servants and other residents have parked their vehicles, resorted to trekking to work or nearby markets, to shop for goods.
Moreover, people have drastically reduced consumption of beer and other alcoholic beverages as many fun seekers are no longer finding it easy to patronize beer parlours on daily basis.
Some residents who spoke to our correspondent also said that they have cut down on their spending and outings, thereby restricting expenditure to buying only necessities than luxuries and going to only important occasions.
A businessman, Mr Emmanuel Ugwuoke, who noted that there has been fire on the mountain since the removal of the fuel subsidy, said that he has adopted some measures to survive.
“Yes, I made drastic adjustment in order to cut down cost by parking my car for now and using motorcycle more since the fuel consumption is less.
“Moreover, I have also reduced my movement. Before I go to anywhere now, it has to be very important, else I transact all my business on phone.”
Mr Peter Utenger observed that the policy has worsened the already hard and bad condition of lives of the people. “Before now, the salary was not good, some are not even paid and now we still don’t have an increment, so there is nothing to adjust to for many civil servants in the state. Our lives is just worse for it, “ he said.
For Hajia Hauwa Isah, the policy which has raised cost of transportation has made her reduce the number of days she goes to work. She said: “For me, the high cost of transportation made me to reduce the number of days I go to work.”
Mrs Diaka said: “I use more of the Internet for work. I have also cut down on how often I go to the market.”
A teacher in Makurdi who didn’t want to be named added: “I have adjusted by trekking short distances and avoid unnecessary visits. I use my phone to make most transactions.”
On his part, Jimmie Adzande said: “I have regulated my movement. I now go to very necessary places with my car. In my house, there is no more room for wasted food. We make sure every grain or seed counts.
“I farm on a small scale to support the food I buy. No more unnecessary parties, we now concentrate on the basic needs: food, shelter and clothes.”
Kene Kenneth said that he has already adjusted his spending. “For example, I no longer move around the way I used to, because it attracts more unwanted spending. The excess purchasing of items has drastically been put under control in my household as well as moving from one destination to another. I will suggest to the Federal Government to consider the suffering of the people and provide palliatives to mitigate the hardship being experienced currently in the country among citizens,” Kene said.
KOGI
Just like Nigerians in other parts of the country, residents of Kogi State have resorted to trekking long distances to offices and their business places while they shun commodities that are not urgently needed.
Sunday Sun investigations revealed that journeys from within and outside the state have been cut down drastically to the extent that commercial transporters now complain of shortage of passengers.
The trend has also affected the eating pattern of some families as some families now eat once or twice a day instead of taking three meals a day while most of the parents now don’t bother about balanced diet for their children, but rather whatever they can lay their hands on for them to eat.
It was also learnt that some households now rely more on firewood and charcoal to cook their meals rather than using gas cooker while akamu (pap) is now common in most homes as breakfast instead of tea and bread.
A primary school teacher, Mrs Sefiat Suberu, who complained bitterly about percentage salary payment by the state government said that as a Level 12 officer, she receives between N15,000 and N17,000 a month. With three children that money cannot even effectively feed her last born.
She said that she devised a means where they all eat once a day with the exception of the three-year last born who takes pap in the morning while she treks to and from the school with the children.