Kubwa residents in Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja have described as ‘traumatic’ the rise in transport fare from the place to the various areas of the city centre.
The suffering being experienced by the people is coming on the heels of the recent removal of fuel subsidy by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, following his swearing in on May 29, 2023.
One of the residents, Halima Fuel crisis in Kubwa has cost a lot of people staying at Shuaibu, while speaking to Blueprint on the current transport crisis said; some people have been forced to stay at home for lack of transport fare to the city centre, complaining that the fares have skyrocketed.
“It’s not easy with me at all, because I’m forced to pay three times what I used to pay to Berger or Wuse areas of Abuja for my business. Most people thought that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) would have gone on strike over this crisis on subsidy removal but surprisingly, they have suspended it,” Halima stated.
“Truly, people are suffering, before removing or thinking about removing the subsidy, President Tinubu should have done something or provided buses for the masses but the poor people are the ones suffering the most. It is difficult to travel out, go to work or go for any other activity outside of Kubwa environment now,” she added.
Another resident, Jamila Abubakar, said the NLC ought to have proceeded on their planned strike. She said those with cars cannot fuel them because of the cost of PMS pump price.
Like, Halima, Jamila said, “It is better for workers to go on strike so that the world will know what is going on in Nigeria. This may force government to think of changing its decision or provide palliatives to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal.”
Enwerem Ugochukwu, a businessman in Channel 8 of Kubwa area said, “There is a big problem in this country. For me as a family man, if I wake up today to think about how much I spend in a day and how much I spend on my children’s transport fare to school I feel so sad.
“For instance, from where I live to Under Bridge where I will get a car to Berger, which was about N100, has risen to N300. From Under Bridge to Berger which was N300 has risen to N500 – N600. In total for me alone, going and coming will amount N1500 every day. The federal government should have done something before they took the decision to remove subsidy.
“At least they should have provided us with buses. The workers’ strike is a good idea, which I support 100 percent.”