High Transport Fares Send Intending Travellers Back Home

As transporters adjusted their fairs upward following the removal of petroleum subsidy by the federal government on Sunday, several East-bound passengers in Ojuelegba, Lagos, were seen going back home yesterday after they were told that transport fare on that route had hit? N15,000 from N7,000 a day before.

Transporters in Lagos charged Benin-bound passengers as high as N8,000 as against N3,500, charged? in the peak period of the? yuletide season. Also, a bus ride? from Ojodu Berger increased from N80 to N150, the commercial motorcyclists charged between N250 to N300 to get? passengers to Ikeja. The fare from Ikeja to Ojota which used to be N50 was increased to N100 yesterday, while Ikeja to Obalende CMS that used to cost N150 was increased? to N250 per trip.

Apart from the business class, those said to be travelling to the East to attend some festivals changed their minds at the parks and returned back to their homes. Speaking with LEADERSHIP , a pedestrian who simply identified himself as Segun lamented that he had to resort to trekking from Ikeja back to Ojota because he cannot afford to pay the fares to and fro.