A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has lambasted the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, over their deliberate imposition of hardship on Nigerians by refusing to lower transportation costs even after the pump price of fuel has reduced drastically.
Chief Onuesoke, a former PDP governorship aspirant, spoke about the hardship in the country with newsmen.
He said the economic hardship in the country is being induced by the high cost of transportation.
Chief Onuesoke noted that when fuel was at one thousand five hundred naira (N1,500), transportation fares witnessed an astronomical increase, which the union attributed to the high energy cost.
The PDP chieftain pointed out that the pump price is currently hovering between N840 and N870, yet transporters have refused to lower their costs. Instead, he noted, fares are even increasing across the country, particularly in Warri, his base. He explained that he had reached out to people across the country who lamented the arbitrary increase in transportation costs.
While exonerating the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC-led government of any blame in this matter, he urged President Bola Tinubu to call the union to order. He warned that their refusal to align transportation costs with contemporary realities would attract the wrath of Nigerians who are bearing the brunt of the harsh economic situation in the country.
Chief Onuesoke said: “For fuel, people keep blaming Tinubu and the APC government but fail to see the problem. Like here in Warri, in some places, we buy at N850, and in others, N870. And we are complaining that things are high today.”
“Before, when fuel was N1,500, the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, implemented astronomical increases in transport fares, which added extra costs to goods and services, particularly agricultural produce, due to logistics issues in bringing them from rural areas to urban cities.
“But today, fuel has come down to N840; some are selling at N850, and some at N870. So why are transport operators—especially the NURTW—not reducing their transportation costs?
“When fuel was N1,500, they said the price was too high. Now that the price is nearly half of that, around N870, I am surprised that the transport fares for Okada, Keke, and other intra-city bus services are still exorbitantly high. The prices of beans, rice, garri, and other foodstuffs are reducing, but I am surprised that transportation costs keep rising.
“We are asking the NURTW to adjust their fares in line with economic realities. If they don’t, they will be provoking Nigerians.
“I am calling on the federal government to bring the NURTW to order and ensure they regulate transportation costs before they incur the anger of Nigerians.
“I am not blaming the APC government this time; I am blaming the NURTW. However, I am also calling on the federal government, led by Tinubu, to address this issue and ensure the transport union instructs its members to adjust their fares accordingly.
“The Federal Government should make it clear that if transporters fail to reduce their fares—even in Lagos, where I called a friend who confirmed that fuel sells between N840 and N870—they will test the patience of Nigerians, which won’t be good.
“I honestly wonder why they have refused to lower their fares, even when the prices of other goods and services have come down.
“I am not saying we are entirely satisfied with the extent to which the pump price has dropped, but there has been some improvement. However, the transport union’s refusal to adjust fares is imposing additional hardship on Nigerians.”
