Commuters in Enugu metropolis are now going through hard times as commercial motor vehicle, tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke, have increased transport fares as security agencies began to enforce the restriction order on the number of passengers they should carry.
Places where the transporters hitherto charged N100, they now charge N150.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had on March 24, 2020, announced that as part of government measures to check the spread of coronavirus, motor vehicles should carry two passengers on a seat whereas the keke operators that carried four to five passengers would then reduce to two passengers.
Ugwuanyi also ordered drinking joints, night clubs closed as well as stopped public ceremonies such as masquerades, burial ceremonies as well as marriages.
He equally ordered the closure of both public and private schools and at the same time asked civil servant below grade levels 12 to stay off duty.
As a result of the restrictions, commercial vehicles operators decided to up their fares to make up for the reduced number of passengers.
“Before now, we used to charge from Obiagu to Abakpa N70, but we now charge N100 because the number of our passengers has reduced,” a conductor told our correspondent.
A resident, who lives at Emene told our correspondent on phone that he could not come into Enugu, “because they have increased transport fares from N100 to N150; where do I have that kind of money?”
Meanwhile, security agencies have started enforcing compliance as they check commercial vehicles to know the number of passengers they are carrying.
The state chairman of Tricycle Operators, Comrade Benjamin Ikah, said he warned his members not to use the opportunity to hike fares and extort passengers, but that since they have to carry less passengers, they have to adjust the fare upwards a bit.
“We have to comply with the government directive as part of the measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus. I told the keke operators not to use the occasion to increase fares, but they have to adjust the fare upwards slightly since the number of their passengers has reduced. This is the sacrifice everybody has to make to ensure that Enugu is free of the pandemic,” he said.
