Petrol hike pains

• FCT transporters lament, workers cut trips, food budgets

From Charity Nwakaudu,  Abuja

Workers and motorists in Abuja are cutting trips and food budgets as petrol prices hit as high as N1,450 per litre, worsening the cost-of-living crisis in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Investigations showed petrol selling between N1,395 and N1,450 per litre at different filling stations, with the development triggering higher transport fares and squeezing household incomes. For many residents, the choice is now between spending more on transportation or taking money meant for food and other household needs.

Motorist, Ibrahim Sule, said the latest fuel hike pushed motorists to the edge, with many struggling to keep their vehicles on the road: “Before now, we were already complaining that the business had crumbled. But this latest fuel increase has left us speechless.

“We work from Monday to Friday, some even till Saturday or Sunday, yet we can hardly feed our families. After removing the money for fuel, what is left? If your car breaks down, you cannot even afford to repair it, talk less of saving money. I have a friend whose car has been parked since January because he cannot raise money to fix it.

“Nobody wants to lend you money because they know you may not be able to repay. Every day, we complain that fuel is expensive, and by the time you wake up, the price has gone higher. We are tired of protesting because even when you protest, you can be arrested. We are only managing to survive now. I pray the government comes to our aid because everywhere is tight.”

Clement Ebe, a tricycle operator, was sacked from a bank before venturing into transportation: “When we started this business, there was a lot of profit. I was one of those sacked from the bank, so I went into transportation. Through this business, I became a landlord.

“Before now, I was the one telling people that I preferred riding keke to anything called government work. If I had known transportation would become this difficult, I wouldn’t have wasted my time working in the bank. But now, with fuel prices increasing almost every time, almost nothing is coming out. Even feeding has become a problem.

“Thank God I invested when things were still good. Some people cannot even pay their rent because they can no longer save. We were still lamenting the last increase when another one came. Frankly speaking, I don’t know how we are going to cope.

“They told us to move to CNG. Many of my friends did, but they have to come back because you cannot use CNG when you don’t know where to get it. Even the few stations available don’t always have the product.

“From NNPC Junction, Kubwa, to Byazhin, we charge N500. You make several trips, remove the cost of fuel and, at the end of the day, you discover that almost nothing is left.

“And if anything happens to your tricycle, you are on your own. I pray God will touch the hearts of our leaders to consider us, the masses and poor people. This thing is becoming too much.”

Another tricycle operator said: “Places where passengers used to pay N100 now cost N200. Instead of paying the N200, many prefer to trek because they feel the fare is too high. When you ask them, they tell you they have other things to spend the money on. But if we continue carrying passengers for the old N100, who will bear the cost? You run from one place to another with an empty vehicle.

“Most of the vehicles we operate are not ours. At the end of the day, you have to think about the owner’s money, your feeding and other expenses, yet there is hardly anything left as profit. That is why you see owners and riders having problems almost every day.

“You cannot work all day without eating and still return without making enough to settle the vehicle owner. If nothing is done, many people will be forced out of the business because you cannot work and still be unable to feed yourself, talk less of taking care of your family.”

John Adejo, plies the Wuse-Jabi route, said he bought petrol at N1,430 per litre, while another motorist in Dutse said he paid the same price at another filling station.

Sunny Okafor said: “When you get to the market, traders too are complaining that prices of things are high because of the increase in fuel prices,” calling on the Federal Government to stabilise fuel prices.

For commuters, the impact has been equally severe. Kelechukwu Ani said: “I find it very difficult to move around for my daily bread again because of the increase in transportation costs.”

In Kubwa, James Adewale said the fare from Kubwa to Wuse rose from less than N1,000 to between N1,400 and N1,500, depending on the vehicle and time of travel.

A civil servant, Terfa Francis, said: “My monthly salary cannot buy fuel to and from work, in a month.”

wAnother worker, Usman Musa, said: “My salary has remained the same while the cost of transportation and other essential items continue to rise.”

Shim Felix, another civil servant: “Every day, I spend more money on transportation. It is taking a significant part of the income I normally use for food, bills and other basic needs.”

Some workers said they had resorted to carpooling, staff buses, trains and other cheaper means of transportation, while cutting other household expenses.

Florence Aka said the hike forced her to divert money meant for food to transportation, adding that it had also affected her ability to report to work regularly: “Higher fuel costs have also pushed up food prices, while some private car owners can no longer afford to fuel their vehicles and have resorted to public transportation.” She said salaries has not increased at the same pace as the cost of living, leaving workers struggling to cope.