By Dennis Mernyi
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) residents have cried out over rising cost of living, made worse by the recent hike of the fuel price amid erratic electricity supply and rising inflation rate.
Checks by Abuja Metro revealed that some of the residents are already tinkering with the idea of relocating to their various villages where they can at least, afford to feed.
Not a few of them reasoned that life and living in the rural areas, despite guaranteed frustration of staying without basic social amenities including electricity, is still better than spending their meagre earnings on expensive accommodation, high cost of feeding and increased transport fares in the capital city, where survival has been generally difficult in recent times.
A resident of Nyanya and panel beater at Kugbo Mechanic Village, Mr. Mikah Adamson, said he would relocate to his village, Kwoi in Kaduna State where food is readily available.
“Things are really getting out of hand in Abuja. There is no fuel, no kerosene. Where you find a little to buy, the price is beyond your reach. Every day, prices of foodstuffs keep increasing. There is no electricity and it is very expensive to fuel your generator.
“The worst is that, there is no money. The people we work on their cars have stopped coming. Work on some cars here had been completed about two months ago, but the owners have not come to pick them. When I called, they told me there is no money.
“We are indeed, living in abject poverty. Our children have been sent out of school because of school fees”, he lamented.
A visit to some of the local markets within and in the outskirts of Abuja, where residents usually troop to for their foodstuffs due to the relatively cheap prices, confirmed Adamson’s fears as the price of most food items have gone up. For instance, at Nyanya market, a 50 kilogrammes bag of rice that was sold at N10,000 few months ago, now goes for between N15,000 and N16, 000 depending on the brand, while a mudu measure of beans attracts between N400 and N500 and one kilo of beef and chicken sells for between N1,500 and N2,000 respectively.
Similarly, tomatoes and other perishable food items at Mararaba market near Abuja is sold for N2,500 per basket as against N500 or N700 previously, while one mudu of garri has gone up to between N500 and N700 depending on the quality.
Also, transportation has soared by almost 150 per cent as taxi fares per route range between N500 and N1000 depending on distance.
Lamenting over the situation, Sule Adaki, a trader at Garki Model Market, said: “Things are extremely expensive and even our regular customers are not coming to buy from us again. We do not see them often as before and when we call, they will tell us there is no money. Some will tell us they do not have fuel.”
A housewife, Mrs. Yimah, at Karu market, said before now, with N5,000, she could buy enough foodstuffs that could feed the family for at least one week.
“Things are getting worse these days, particularly since government increased the price of fuel. When the price was still N86.50 per litre and there was scarcity, cost of living was still better. But now, there is even no money again. Bus drivers would tell you that there is no fuel and when they get it, it is sold at high cost. So, where we used to pay N100 per drop, they have increased it to N200 and with only N5,000 today, I have only N4,600 outside the fare to buy things; and that cannot feed my family”, she said.
Alhaji Ganiyu Serki, a civil servant with the Lower Benue Development Agency, advised the government to do something urgently to alleviate the suffering of the masses or risk losing the people’s support.
“We are aware that the present government is making efforts to stabilise the economy, but the hardship is too much. Some of the policies, including fuel price increase, and non-payment of salaries by some state governments as well as the high cost of items in the markets are signs of danger. The earlier government does something, the better”, he stated.
Checks revealed also that due to the attendant hard times, the rate of street and corporate begging in the capital city has increased. It is common to see able-bodied men begging for alms. Some of them, though well-dressed, usually have tales of how they were either stranded because their would-be hosts travelled unexpectedly, or lost their purse and needed some cash to get to their destination.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has held out hope of some palliative measures to cushion the harsh effects of the current economic challenges. However, many residents have expressed doubts over their implementation and urged for strict monitoring.
….Traditional rulers back FG
Association of Royal Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (ARTRN) has thrown its weight behind the action of the Federal Government over the recent increase of fuel price, appealing to the organised Labour to return to the negotiation table with the government.
Addressing journalists at the weekend after a meeting of the association in Abuja, the president, His Royal Highness, Eze Thomas Obiefule, said the increase is in the interest of the country in the long run, emphasising that the payment of subsidy in the past only benefitted a few individuals.
They further pointed out that the only reasonable thing for the country is to support the Buhari administration in the quest to reposition the economy for the overall future benefit of the entire citizenry.
The royal fathers who said Nigerians are really going through some hardship due to the fuel price increase, however, assured that if given the chance, the new price regime will definitely crash in the next three months due to market forces.
“Yes, we agree that Nigerians are going through some difficult time and hardship at the moment due to the increase in the pump price, however, I want to assure as a businessman of over 30 years standing, that in the next three months, the price will crash, because many people are now free to bring in the product and that is why we urge restraint because the hardship of today will lead to a tomorrow of bliss for all Nigerians,” he said.
On the ongoing fight against corruption by the Buhari administration, the traditional rulers thumbed up Mr President, urging Nigerians to give him support, adding: “We commend Mr President for his zeal in recovering the huge sums of money stashed away by some greedy Nigerians.”