Regardless of the Federal Authorities’s 50 per cent fare rebate, passengers have lamented that the anticipated aid has but to materialise, with transport prices remaining excessive.
President Bola Tinubu introduced that the low cost efficient from December 21 to January 4, 2024, was to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians.
To implement the directive, the federal government partnered with notable transport corporations, together with God is Good Motors, Chisco Transport, The Younger Shall Develop Motors, God Bless Ezenwata, and Space Motor.
Whereas some Nigerians view that improvement as a much-needed intervention to decrease transportation bills, others criticised it as an impractical programme that didn’t alleviate the burden of excessive transportation prices.
Among the passengers, who spoke to The PUNCH, remarked that transport corporations continued to inflate costs regardless of the 50 per cent rebate.
A passenger, Maduforo Okonkwo en path to Aba, mentioned, “The federal government’s announcement appeared promising, however the precise discount isn’t mirrored in our bills. We anticipated a reprieve, particularly through the festive season.”
“My brother, who left yesterday utilizing Chisco, paid N27,000 to Aba. A few of these corporations didn’t supply as much as a 50 per cent discount. Sure, the President did slash it but it surely appears these corporations additionally exploited it.
“Prior to now, Chisco was not charging N54,000 as transport fare to Aba. If you’re charging N27,000 now that the Federal Authorities is 50 per cent low cost, it means they’re purposely rising.
He added, “Irrespective of the way you have a look at it, travellers are nonetheless paying over N25,000 on common on transport.”
At The Younger Shall Develop Park, a college scholar, Nnamdi Chintuwa, who was travelling to Owerri, alleged that the transport corporations have been unrealistically charging passengers with none purpose.
“Even with the discount by the Federal authorities, passengers are nonetheless paying above N23,000. Are you saying that these corporations would have charged over N45,000 simply to journey from Lagos to South East? I don’t suppose Nigerians would need to pay such cash.
“There are at all times excuses to offer which can be the reality, however the reality stays that these transporters should not simply truthful to themselves,” Chintuwa lamented.
One other passenger at ABC Transport Firm, Emmanuel Edeh, mentioned earlier than the 50 per cent low cost the transport fare was N30, 000 to Abuja from Lagos however now with the low cost it had change into N42,700.
Edeh added, “It means you might be nonetheless paying above N21,000. For many individuals, it’s nonetheless excessive.”
As of Tuesday morning, God is Good Motors, one of many corporations collaborating with the Federal Authorities on the scheme, prices N36,000 for the Lagos to Owerri route.