[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile some use the holiday period to travel back to their home towns to re-bond with their loved ones, others travel solely for the purpose of having fun.
THE Grassroots Publishers, in this report, visited motor parks in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, to find out the various prices of transportation to different parts of the country. An official of Peace Mass Transit simply identified as Peace, said that during the festive season, most people travel to locations like Owerri, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Aba and Umuahia.
She further said that compared to last year, this year’s transport fare was increased by N1,000.
Below is a breakdown of the cost of trips from Abuja to other states as at December 16th:
Abuja to Enugu – N8,500
Abuja to Nsukka- N8,000
Abuja to Benin – N9,000
Abuja to Warri – N10,000
Abuja to Bayelsa – N11,000
Abuja to Nnewi – N9,200
Abuja to Onitsha – N9,000
Abuja to Owerri – N10,000
Abuja to Aba – N10,300
Abuja to Afikpo – N10,000
Abuja to Lagos – N11,000
Abuja to Ibadan – N10,500
Abuja to Calabar – N11,000
Abuja to Umuahia – N10,000
Abuja to Uy0- N10,300
Abuja to Abakiliki – N9,500
Abuja to Port Harcourt – N11,000
However, a check on the cost of transportation for God is Good motors on December 21st, showed that the prices were significantly higher. Transportation fares from Abuja to Lagos cost N17,000, from Abuja to Umuahia cost N15,000 and Abuja to Port Harcourt cost N17,000.
A source who spoke to this medium on the condition of anonyimity on Friday, decried the high cost of transportation fare. According to him, the cost was increasing by the day.
He said ABC Motors trip to ABA cost N15,500, God is Good motors to Aba, N18,300, G U O to Aba N16,000, Peace Mass to Aba N12,000, and to Enugu cost N9000.
Another traveler said it is “a shame that road transport fare parachuted to a dis-heartening amount.”
She said a trip to Warri from Abuja now costs her N11,500 as against the N5000 she paid last year.
She further said other transport lines were charging as high as N18,000 and N15,000.
Other travelers who spoke to this medium said the hike in this year’s transport fares could be tied to general inflation and factors such as increased operating cost of businesses, bad roads, amongst others.