By Samuel Ogude
It appeared that Nigerians do not care any more, yet all are affected in one way or the other. It is no news that Nigerians passed through hell in the regime of ex-President Mohammadu Buhari for the eight years of his administration. As it were, there were many areas of Buhari’s economic policies and programmes that Nigerians can not forget in a hurry especially, the exchange of Naira for Naira which was occasioned by Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Central Bank Governor’s redesigning of N200, N 500 and N 1000 denominations.
While Nigerians were grappling with the effects of the harsh policies and programmes of ex- President, Mohammudu Buhari, they thought they would heave a sigh of relief since his tenure was almost over and when over, the new administration (government) would be, perhaps, better.
On the 29th May, 2023, His Excellency Ahmed Bola Tinubu took the mantle of leadership. In his inaugural address, all that he said earned him accolades except his removal of the Petroleum Subsidy. Report had it that, barely an hour the President announced this, Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol became scarce just as the price went up.
Report had it that, many people who went for the inauguration in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) and those who went for their work including private businessmen and women were stranded on their way home. No doubt, the removal of the petroleum subsidy has greatly affected Nigerians as prices of goods and services have gone up because of the high cost of transportation.
Against this background, Bailout Magazine went out to seek the opinions of Nigerians especially Commercial transporters generally, how the business has been with them since the price of fuel went up.
Speaking with Bailout Magazine, a commercial tricycle operator who gave his name as Monday said, they (operators) have been passing through untold hardship since the removal of petroleum subsidy saying, what they get on daily returns in the operation was nothing to write home about. According to him, before now, when fuel was sold for between two hundred and twenty naira(N220) and two hundred and thirty naira( N220 and N230) if he bought fuel for one thousand, six hundred naira(N1,600) he was able to work six to seven thousand(N600-N700) but now that the petrol is sold for between five hundred and two naira(N502.00 to N503.00), if buys fuel for five thousand(N5,000.00) , after work, to get the five thousands (N500.00) in return is tug of war.
He said:” Before now, if I buy fuel for one thousand, six hundred naira, I used to get six to seven thousand naira but now if I buy fuel for five thousand, for me to get the five thousand naira which is the capital is not easy, I run the road for hours for me to get the amount”.
On the way forward, Monday said, the Federal Government should revert the price of fuel to old price of N 230.00 -N250.00 per litter for the common man to survive. He also advocated that the Federal Government to effect repairs of the refineries especially that of Warri with the money saved as a result of the subsidy removal to ease the challenges being faced by Nigerians .
Another speaker who does not want his name in print said, commuters bargain below expected price for the tricycle, adding, this accounts for why they(tryclelists) can not get what they used in buying fuel let alone to take home money.
He said:” You buy fuel for one naira, commuters pay the same price, how can you get gain? That is our problem”. He said the government should do something about the fuel because, they(Government) know what to do, yet they don’t do it.
On his apart, the Manager of Aduvie Motors at Enerhen Juction Warri, Delta State, who identified himself as A.K.A White Pastor said, since the fuel palaver, there is drastic reduction in the number of commuters as people who would have traveled to deliver parcels now resorted to sending such parcels through them thereby reducing their income on daily basis.
He said:” I can not deceive you, since the subsidy removal was done, we hardly get people to travel, they only pass their parcels to us to deliver to their destinations ” . He therefore appealed to the Federal Government to do something about it to ameliorate the suffering of the masses.
Another respondent, who did not want his name in print said, when they were buying petrol for N220 per litre, they could buy the N2500 and could make N6000 to N7000 a day before now, if one buys fuel for N6000 to N7000, one can not take home any substantial amount of money , which, he frowned at. He said commuters that think that, they (keke riders) are making money, got it wrong as they are not making a dime saying, the entire money they work on the road because of the exorbitant fuel price, goes back to filling stations for another purchase the petrol.
He said:” People think, we are make money, this is not true, the entire money goes back to petrol dealers, nothing goes with us home”.
He said, the commercial tricycles operators do not enjoy it. On the way forward, he said it is those on the top that have the power and know what to do for Nigerians just as he appealed to the Federal Government to peg the price of the petrol at three hundred naira ( N300.00) to enable Nigerians survive the economy. He said:” We should be happy if the Federal Government can reduce the price of the petrol to N300.00”.
Until something is done to reduce the price of the petroleum products especially the petrol, Nigerians would continue to complain because of the effects on them.