EDITORIAL: Sabotage: Arrest Transporters Refusing to Cut Fares After Petrol Price Reduction

BY TONY OKAFOR

The recent decrease in petrol prices has brought relief to many Nigerians, but the transportation sector has failed to reflect this change.

In Anambra State, transport fares remain exorbitantly high, perpetuating the suffering of citizens and exacerbating the escalating cost of living.

As a vital component of the economy, the transport sector plays a crucial role in facilitating the movement of goods and people.

The arbitrary increase in transport fares has had a devastating ripple effect on the prices of food items and other essential commodities.

The cost of transportation is a significant determinant of the cost of food items, and the failure to reduce transport fares has further entrenched the hardship faced by citizens.

When petrol prices skyrocketed to between N1,400 and N1,500 per litre, transporters in Anambra State increased their fares.

However, now that petrol prices have dropped to below N1,000 per litre, these same transporters have refused to reduce their fares. This is unacceptable and smacks of exploitation.

Recent statistics show that transport fares in Anambra State have increased by over 50% despite the decrease in petrol prices.

This unsustainable trend has resulted in increased food prices, reduced access to essential services, and a decline in the overall standard of living.

We condemn the unjustifiable hike in transport fares by transporters in Anambra State and call on the state government to take immediate action.

The government must establish a regulatory framework to prevent exploitation, including a price control mechanism to prevent arbitrary fare increases, regular monitoring and enforcement of transport fares, and sanctions for transporters who engage in exploitative practices.

We also call on the leadership of the road transport workers to intervene and ensure their members do not harm the public.

The actions of transporters in Anambra State constitute economic sabotage, necessitating decisive action from the leadership and government.

To the transporters, we demand that you reduce your fares to reflect current petrol prices. This is a moral imperative and economic necessity.

We urge the Anambra State government to treat this matter with urgency it deserves.

The argument that our society operates under a free enterprise system does not justify the exploitative practices of transporters in this case.

While free enterprise promotes competition and innovation, it does not condone predatory pricing and exploitation of consumers.

In this instance, the transporters’ refusal to reduce fares despite the drop in petrol prices is a clear abuse of their market power, and cannot be defended as a legitimate exercise of free enterprise.