Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Kaduna, Bature Suleiman, has expressed concern over the decline in the number of travellers usually recorded pre-festive season.
This, he said, is a direct result of the economic hardship most Nigerians are facing are the moment.
Speaking on Friday, Suleiman said, “People no longer travel but only prefer to send messages to their loved ones. Sadly, if you go to our motor parks now, you will see a lot of vehicles waiting without passengers. People don’t have money to travel until it becomes necessary. They prefer to waybill messages.”
He lamented that commercial motorists are facing losses due to the country’s challenging economic situation caused by the increase in fuel prices, poor road conditions and unfavourable policies in the transportation sector.
“There are lots of revenues attached to transportation as the government now seems to have its focus on the sector. Currently, there is an increment, so much that what the driver would get at the end of the day is nothing to write home about,” added the NURTW secretary.
Expressing concerns over the financial burden on drivers, Suleiman urged the government to reconsider the levies imposed on the sector, while emphasising the need to revert to previous rates to help drivers cope with economic challenges.
However, Suleiman noted there is a positive development in the situation as road crashes decreased by 40% in 2023. He attributed this improvement to the ongoing efforts in road maintenance in Kaduna.
“Kaduna to Zaria-Kano road is now without potholes, Kaduna to Abuja also is witnessing improvement. Other repairs within the metropolis, like the command junction to Abuja junction, are underway,” he said.
