Passengers in Calabar have been stranded and forced to trek long distances after commercial transport operators increased fares by about 50 per cent following a rise in fuel prices.
Gatekeepers News reports that transport operators across the Calabar metropolis blamed the increase on the jump in the pump price of petrol from about ₦950 to ₦1,150 per litre.
The fare hike has left many commuters groaning over the sudden increase, with several motorists and travellers struggling to cope with the higher transport costs.
For instance, trips from Eta Agbor to Marian and Mobil, which previously cost ₦200 and ₦300 respectively, have risen to ₦250 and ₦350.
Similarly, tricycle operators now charge ₦250 for a ride from Goldie to Watt Market, up from the ₦200 commuters previously paid.
Mini-bus drivers have also raised fares significantly. A trip that previously cost ₦500 to Ikang in Bakassi Local Government Area now costs about ₦1,000.
Drivers said the adjustment was necessary to stay in business due to the high cost of fuel.
Some filling stations along Murtala Muhammed Highway were reportedly shut on Monday morning, with their gates locked and no fuel being dispensed.
The situation forced many workers and students to trek to their destinations, while others opted to remain at home due to the increased transport fares.
Students expressed frustration over the development, saying it has disrupted their academic activities.
A student of the University of Calabar, Anthony Bassey, said the fare increase has made it difficult for him to attend classes.
“I reside at 8 Miles area and usually spend ₦1,000 to and from school on a daily basis.
“This morning to my greatest surprise, a driver asked me to pay extra ₦200 to school and since I cannot afford that, I have to stay at home.
“The sudden increase in the fare has disrupted my plan for the semester so I have to skip school for some days so I can meet up,” Bassey said.
Also reacting, Edem Peters, a public servant in Bakassi Local Government Area, called on the Cross River State government to intervene in what he described as arbitrary increases in transport fares.
Peters argued that the current minimum wage is inadequate given the rising cost of living.
“As you can see, transport fares across the metropolis have doubled overnight.
“How do you expect us to make ends meet when things continue getting this bad? Our salaries have been fixed for over a decade now yet prices of commodities have been increasing unabated.
“Government is supposed to review these wages as the economy worsens because we are bearing the brunt but this is not the case.
“Our salaries can barely take us home and if you have to pay ₦800 daily for transport, you can imagine what it amounts to at the end of every month,” Peters said.
A commercial mini-bus driver, Iniabasi Inyang, defended the fare increase, saying operators had no choice if they wanted to keep their businesses running.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Transport, Ekpenyong Cobham, could not be reached for comment.
However, a senior official in the ministry said he was not aware of the development.
