FCT residents groan as transport fares remain high
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have continued to lament high transportation fares despite recent interventions by the federal government. Residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday said the cost of commuting within Abuja has remained beyond their reach. According to them, fares on major routes across the city […]
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have continued to lament high transportation fares despite recent interventions by the federal government.
Residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday said the cost of commuting within Abuja has remained beyond their reach.
According to them, fares on major routes across the city and satellite towns have remained high, forcing workers, traders, and students to spend a significant portion of their income on transportation.
Mr. Suleiman Adamu, a civil servant who commutes from Kubwa to the Central Business District, said transport costs have escalated compared to previous years.
“About two years ago, I spent about N600 daily, but now it is over N1,500. Even with the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, nothing has really changed for us,” Adamu said.
NAN reports that the federal government recently introduced CNG buses in the FCT as part of efforts to reduce transport costs and ease the burden on commuters. However, many residents argue that the buses are insufficient to address the scale of the problem.
Mrs. Ngozi Eze, a trader who travels daily from Mararaba to Wuse Market, noted that she rarely sees the CNG buses on her route when she needs them.
“We appeal to the government to ameliorate the high cost of transportation after the removal of the subsidy, and they promised us CNG buses. After waiting for so long, we now see a few of the buses on some routes, but the fare is not much different from other commercial vehicles. It is either the queue is too long, or we end up paying high fares anyway. This is not what we bargained for,” Eze said.
Similarly, Mr. Kenneth Nwaobi, who lives in Lugbe, said transport operators continue to increase fares, citing fuel costs and vehicle maintenance. “Whether fuel prices go up or down, transport fares keep rising. The CNG buses have not reduced what we pay,” Nwaobi noted.
Ms. Agnes Bello, a private school teacher, said she now leaves home earlier and treks part of the way to reduce expenses.
“Sometimes I trek from my house to the main road before boarding a vehicle because transport is taking too much of my salary. As you are aware, many private schools do not pay their teachers commensurate salaries. I have to manage my income carefully to meet other needs,” Bello said.
A transport analyst, Mr. Daniel Onyekachi, said while the introduction of CNG buses is a step in the right direction, it requires proper scaling and wider route coverage to make a significant impact.
“Until mass transit becomes accessible and affordable across all corridors, private operators will continue to dictate fares. The government’s effort in releasing CNG vehicles is commendable, but a lot still needs to be done to ensure the easy movement of citizens. I urge the relevant authorities to expand affordable mass transit options and enforce fare regulations to ease the burden on households,” Onyekachi said. (NAN)