Easter: Our families are hungry due to low passengers’ turnout- commercial drivers

Many commercial drivers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the low patronage by passengers for the Easter holidays.

The drivers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that this had resulted in little or no income to care for their family needs.

NAN reports that very few passengers were seen at the Jabi and Utako motor parks waiting to board vehicles at the time of filing this report.

Mr Yakur Jeremiah, a driver, said he had expected an influx of passengers due to the Easter holidays but was disappointed by the number of people at the park.

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“Things have been slow in our business since the elections because people rarely travel like they used to.

“I was hoping that more people would travel due to the holidays, but surprisingly, it is almost business as usual for us as you can see.

“Honestly, this is not good because most of us depend on this business to cater for our families,” Jeremiah said.

Another driver, Gbenga Hassan, said: “It is really a trying time for people in our line of business, and I guess for every Nigerian today.

According to him, I do not have any other source of livelihood; I depend on money from my transportation business to take care of my family of four.

“Recently, we have been feeding from hands to mouth because there is barely enough and things are so expensive in the market.

“We pray things change for the better in this country and soon, else many people will begin to die due to hunger.”

Similarly, another driver, Alhaji Lafia, also prayed for God’s intervention in the country.

Lafia, who said the cost of transportation had not changed recently, also decried low passenger turnout.

According to him, the roads are relatively safe, but the bad roads remain a major cause for concern.

He appealed to the incoming administration to look into the federal roads and ensure rehabilitation as they were becoming a death trap.

A passenger, Miss Gift Agbo, said she was travelling to Kaduna because it was a family tradition in her home to celebrate the Easter season together.

According to Agbo, the country’s economy is not friendly, and many average-income earners find it difficult to make ends meet.

She said: “If I have my way, I would rather stay in my house, but it has been a tradition that we all celebrate Easter together.

“I am not surprised that a very few persons are boarding vehicles here to travel because things are tough for many people.

“There is little money in circulation, the cost of goods and services are very high, and people’s income has not changed.

“We had hoped things would improve after the elections, but here we are, the same old story.

“I pray the government, especially the incoming administration, will do something to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians.” (NAN)