As christians all the world celebrate Christmas with the usual excitement that heralds the festival, their fellow counterparts in Nigeria, groan under the heavy yoke of over one hundred percent increase in food stuffs and transportation.
A random survey by The New ew diplomat, showed that the essentials as rice, chicken, ground oil, tomatoes and other condiments required for the celebration are beyond the reach of the common man.
In the main markets, mile 12, Yaba market and Oyigbo popular market the prices of these essential commodities are the same. A seizable chicken sells for #15,000 as against #3,000 to #4,000. A bowl of tomatoes was sold at #3, 000 as against #1,500. A bag of rice was sold at an average of #52,000 as #27,000.
A trader at the popular mile 12 market, told The New diplomat that increased prices in perishable items as tomatoes and live stock products would be blame on the worsening insecurity in the country and the nation’s closed borders.
However, a civil servant, Tunde Adedayo wondered if the average Nigerian would be able to afford these essentials for the celebration of Christmas. He urged the government to formulate policies that would help to checkmate arbitrary increase in prices food stuffs
Conversely, the persistent fuel scarcity and increased pump price in petrol, all combined to aid the hike in transport fares at both inter state and intracity transport. This ugly development has made travelling almost impossible for Nigerians who initially planned to spend the Christmas holidays with friends and relatives in the village.?
When The New diplomat visited the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, many passengers were seen stranded due flight conciliation. One of the stranded passengers who gave his name simply as Udoka, brandishing a flight ticket, lamented that he paid #99,000 for cost of one way ticket to Asaba in Delta, yet, flight to take him to his destination.
A lady with two children who would not want her names in print, expressed disgust over the helpless situation. “They have cancelled the flight, yet they refused to refund my money. It’s unfortunate. I have already missed what I want to do to I’m traveling to. The Christmas holidays afford us the opportunity to attend to other matters outside your official engagements and I have lost this chance,” she said.
Though the deluge of passengers at the airport would not be unconnected with the poor state the nation is currently experiencing as the privileged few who could afford Air fare had no choice.
At the Owena popular motor park at Ojota, Lagos, the rush of passengers was not noticed as most vehicles were almost empty. A cab driver, named Efosa blamed the poor turn out of passengers on dwindling economic fortune of the nation.
Apart from the increased pump price of petrol, the driver said that during festive season, hike in transport was another way of transport companies and drivers alike to collect their Christmas bonus from passangers .
Efosa disclosed that rush of passengers were common only in the morning, adding that the number of passengers were relatively low.
At the popular Jibowu park, the story is the same as transport operators lamented the abysmal turn out of passengers. One the drivers in the park, disclosed that the high cost of transportation maybe responsible for the poor turn out of travellers this season.
The driver said that most travellers don’t dare night travelling any longer due mainly to the worsening insecurity situation in Nigeria.
