Business
SOME drivers in Bauchi have decried the hike in fuel prices which negatively affected their operations.
They also expressed concern over the low patronage of their services occasioned by hikes in transport fares.
A cross section of the motorists stated this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Bauchi.
Ibrahim Yakubu, a commercial bus driver, said that the hike in pump prices has made it difficult for people to travel, even for emergencies.
He said that passengers could no longer afford to travel for weddings, burial and other engagements unless it was absolutely necessary due to high transport fares.
Yakubu said that the trend had forced drivers to jerk up transport fares to enable them to cope with exorbitant pump prices.
“The surge in petrol prices is destroying our business and livelihood. We can no longer take care of our families.
“Yestarday; I travelled to the Burga community, a distance of 100 kilometres from Bauchi, and returned without a single passenger,” he said.
He advocated for sound palliative measures to regulate pump prices and transport fares, to improve social and economic wellbeing of the citizens.
Also, Sadiku Mohammed, Vice Chairman, Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Wunti Market Branch, said that the high cost of petrol has brought enormous challenges to their members.
Mohammed said that petrol was selling between 1,450 and N1,500, as against N980 in the last six months.
“This is our only source of income and the number of passengers travelling dropped drastically.
“Drivers no longer travel as they used to before the price hike,” he said.
(NAN)
A.I
Nov. 8, 2026
Tags: Sadiku Mohammed