Passengers Decry Hike In Fares

Passengers travelling back to their base after the festive period, especially the Lagos-bound ones have condemned the more than 90 per cent hike in fares by Auchi transporters.

Our correspondent reported on Monday that the fare from Auchi to Lagos had been increased from Nl,800 to N3,500 by bus and from N2,500 to N4,000 by car.

A Lagos-bound passenger, Mr Martins Amu, said that he was not happy about the hike and wondered why the fare would be increased when there was no fuel scarcity.

He urged the government to find a way of curtailing arbitrary increase in fares, especially during festive periods.

Amu said: “this is unfair; we should not be made to suffer like this. It is only during festive periods that most of us have the opportunity to spend time with our people in the villages.

Our correspondent observed that some passengers shuttled between the various motor parks.

While the fare to Benin remained at N500, fares to other cities like Jos, Abuja, Kaduna, Akure and Ibadan were hiked.

The fare to Abuja from Auchi jumped to N2,500 from Nl,500 in the same manner passengers travelling to Jos , Kaduna, Akure and Ibadan were all compelled to yield to increased fare, ranging between N3, 000 and N4, 000.

A driver at the “Angle 90 motor park” in Auchi who simply identified himself as Richards attributed the increase to the rush.