Subsidy: RTEAN advocates palliatives for citizens

Mr Abdullahi Mohammed, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Bauchi State chapter, has advocated for urgent palliative measures to cushion the effect of subsidy removal on citizens.

Our correspondent reports that the Federal Government announced the removal of subsidy on petrol, otherwise known as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Mohammmed told our correspondent on Monday in Bauchi that the removal of the subsidy had increased hardship on average Nigerians.

He said that the removal also led to an increase in the cost of living for the citizens who already were struggling for survival.

“Therefore, the federal government should institute palliative measures that would ameliorate the economic woes of the citizens of the country.

“They should also provide economic opportunities for organisations like ours to cushion the effect of transportation in the country,” he said.

Mohammed said that the removal of subsidy had hiked transport fares across the state.

According to him, intra-transportation fare has increased by 200 per cent as movement from Bauchi to Azare which cost N2,000 is now N4,000, while Bauchi to Misau is now N2,500 against earlier fare of N1,000.

“Inter-State transportation also increased but not as intra-state.

“For instance, Bauchi to Yola which was N5,000, is currently between N7,500 to N8,000; Bauchi to Gombe, which was formerly N1,500 to N2,000, is now about N3,000,” he said.