Posted by Millions of Nigerians, particularly those with lower incomes, are worried about the situation as transportation costs keep going up due to the recent spike in petrol prices.
The cost of getting to and from job, school, or the market has grown to be prohibitive for many people.
Those living in poverty already have it tough making ends meet, and the situation is even worse for them.
An increasing number of people are demanding that the government do something about the skyrocketing prices.
Protests with the hashtag #EndBadGovernance have recently taken place around the country, and this is a contributing factor.
Major cities have also seen protests as people call for swift action to lower living costs.
Many people, particularly those with lower incomes, are finding it more difficult to make ends meet as a result of the rise in the cost of gasoline and other necessities, according to research published in the Worldoh.
Gasoline prices have reached an all-time high of between N850/litre and N1,400/litre, depending on the region, due to the price hike that went into effect early last week, further straining already-strapped family budgets.
Because of the suffering this has brought to Nigerian citizens, Archbishop Matthew Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, pleaded with President Bola Tinubu and the APC leaders to do something about the gasoline price hike and the plight of Nigerians.
He recounted an incident where he inquired about a girl’s political affiliation and she responded, “I am hungry.” We Nigerians are starving, and I am saying this to the powerful because we need your help.
Discover a means to lower the cost of gasoline. Determine a means by which our nation can remain safe. For any government, that is the pinnacle of legitimacy.
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) echoed these sentiments when it denounced the recent spike in petrol prices and cautioned the federal government against taking Nigerians for granted.
In a statement, the forum’s president-general, Yerima Shettima, blasted the administration for being out of touch with reality over the recent gas price increase.
To make matters worse, the government of Nigeria unexpectedly raised petrol prices, despite its earlier calls for Nigerians to refrain from protests and assurances of improvements.
The federal government needs to reevaluate its approach to the many problems that exist, in my opinion.
Given the current situation, he said that President Bola Tinubu should give Nigerians a break so they can catch their breath. “The reaction of a hungry and angry person may be unimaginable,” he added.
A variety of low-income Nigerians spoke with Worldoh, expressing their dismay at the recent petrol price jump and pleading with the government to restore the previous rate.
Amina Abubakar, a sales professional, expressed her struggle with maintaining a balanced budget.
I am having a hard time affording food and rent because of the rise in the price of gasoline, which has also increased the cost of my transportation.
“What we are witnessing now is devastating; we had high hopes for this administration.”
According to Eche John, another resident of the FCT, the new petrol pump price has caused him to spend N1500 instead of the normal N800 to get to work.
This transportation stuff is different, he remarked. Salary increases have been elusive, and many workers are already seeing their employment disappear.
Glory Adetunji, another Abuja resident, voiced her worry about how the recent spike in fuel prices has begun to impact the cost of transportation as well as goods and commodities generally.
The fuel price hike has already caused goods prices to rise, according to Ojetunde.
“Since the fuel price increase, I recently paid N300 for a sachet of milk instead of the N200 it was sold for before.”
The issue has worsened, according to Johnson Okpe, another low-income earner who is a Point of Sale (POS) attendant. Okpe added that he may have to quit going to work due to the skyrocketing cost of transportation.
Without knowing how much money will remain after transportation costs, I have no idea how I will pay for food.
The specter of unpaid rent for my home looms large. Everybody will starve to death if this problem isn’t solved soon. The cost of transportation consumes nearly all of my income.
According to Chioma Eze, a salesgirl who travels between Mararaba and Wuse market in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the cost of her transportation has increased by more than 100% from a year ago.
My daily transportation expenses have increased from around N1000 to over N2000. It’s becoming ridiculous.
She bemoaned the fact that she would have to spend N2,000 each day on transportation costs alone, not even counting food, and that she could soon be forced to quit her job due to the low wages she was receiving.
Auwal Ibrahim, a secondary school teacher who remained anonymous, described his difficulties in the following ways:
While my pay has remained unchanged, the expense of transportation has skyrocketed. Just for transportation, I now need to set aside about half of my income.
“It’s difficult to fathom how this can go on without outside help.”
Hassan Abdul, a former private security guard, just resigned and lamented the difficulties brought about by the gasoline price increase, claiming to be unsure of what to do next.
I had a wife and a child to support on a salary of N40,000. Even after factoring in the cost of transportation, I realized I would still need to borrow money to get there.
I had no choice but to step down and start planning my next move instead of carrying on. He bemoaned his lack of direction while he spoke with you.
The same problem of a rise in transportation fares forced Ekaete Frederick, a housekeeper, to resign.
Picture this: I have a job that pays N50,000 per month and I spend N2,000 each day traveling between New Nyanya and Garki, in the FCT.
Determine its value by adding it up and then deducting N50,000. Instead, she bemoaned the idea of quitting her work and either finding a nearby employment or selling sachet water.
Uche Emeka, a commercial biker, bemoaned the difficulty of obtaining fuel and the scarcity of passengers, claiming that most people have turned to trekking, which has impacted their ability to work.
“No one goes to okada anymore. They opt instead to travel on foot.
After spending more than N2,000 on transportation, they obviously want to save money, so I can’t say that I blame them. Is the salary even a thing? He made it clear that the country was in jeopardy.
Paul Owoicho, on the other hand, is concerned that the new development would fuel the already high crime rate and is demanding immediate action to prevent a society without law.
A lot of people need food. Even if they normally would never consider doing anything bad, someone who is desperate for money might feel pressured to.
He warned that innocent Nigerians will be hit the most by the country’s high rate of uncontrollable social vices.