Some residents of Bauchi have resorted to trekking as part of survival strategies to cope with the rising cost of living triggered by petrol price hikes.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who went around the metropolis on Monday, reports that workers, traders and students had resorted to trekking for their daily errands as they could not afford exorbitant transport fare. The situation was further compounded by the scarcity of commercial vehicles plying the roads in the metropolis.
NAN checks showed that servicing stations were dispensing petrol between ₦1,060 and ₦1,200 per litre, while the product sold at ₦1,400 per litre at the black market outlets.
Mohammed Saleh, a resident, said the hike in pump price forced cabs, tricycles and motorcycle riders to increase transport fares by about 300%. He said the surge in transport fares had forced many residents to embrace trekking or adopt to other survival strategies.
Saleh said that he now paid ₦400 transport fare from his home to the office as against ₦100 before the petrol price hike.
“A trip that previously costs ₦100 now goes for ₦400. We have no choice but to trek to our places of work and businesses.
“The hike in fuel price has made transportation costly. Sadly, our salaries can’t keep up,” he said.
A commercial motorcycle operator, Audu Bakoji said that he was not making good sales now due to low patronage of their services.
“People are not patronising us, we’re operating at a loss.
“Petrol now costs between ₦1,060 and ₦1,200 per liter. Most passengers can’t afford trips, leaving us without customers,” he stated.
Corroborating Bakoji, a bus driver, Musa Yakubu, called for urgent measures to address the problem and improve the well-being of the people.
“We urge the government to find a lasting solution to the fuel price crisis. We can’t continue like this. Our livelihood depend on it.” He noted.
Hajiya Aisha Mohammed, a petty trader, said that the petrol price hike has not only crippled transportation but also taken a toll on residents’ health due to the long trek.
“Trekking long distances has become a norm, we’re exhausted. And my sales dropped significantly,” she said.
Commenting, Rabiu Baba, Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketing Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), attributed the disparity in petrol pricing to the high cost of transportation.
“The price of petroleum commodities is determined by the transportation cost to your destination,” he noted.