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Christmas: Rivers travellers lament high transportation costs
Commuters in Port Harcourt on Tuesday expressed their frustration over the rising transportation costs for inter-state travel.
Fares to destinations such as Abuja, Lagos, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, and other cities had increased significantly, in some cases doubling.
The price hikes left many residents struggling as they planned journeys to their hometowns to celebrate Christmas and New Year with their loved ones.
Investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Mile One and Waterlines motor parks, as well as with leading transport companies, including GUO, ITC, and Chisco Transport, confirmed the sharp increases in fares.
For instance, GUO Transport was charging N63,100 from Port Harcourt to Abuja, while a trip to Lagos cost N57,100.
Chisco Transport charged N25,000 for Port Harcourt to Lagos, while travellers to neighbouring states had not been spared either.
At Rivers State Transport Company (RTC), passengers were paying N6,050 from Port Harcourt to Owerri, compared to N4,800 weeks ago.
Similarly, a journey from Port Harcourt to Onitsha was N9,050 by bus, Port Harcourt to Okigwe cost N6,000, while Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) charged N8,500 for travel to Uyo.
Mohammed Aliyu, a jewellery dealer, told NAN in Port Harcourt that the hikes had forced him to consider the risky option of travelling by night bus to save costs.
“Though it is risky travelling to Abuja by night, I cannot afford to pay about N60,000 for the journey.”
Mrs Chimamanda Okonkwo, a civil servant, explained that her husband had relocated to their village in Nnewi, Anambra, in March due to the rising cost of living.
“If not for my husband now living in the village, I wouldn’t be travelling to my hometown with my children because transportation costs are too high.
“Travel for me and my three children from Port Harcourt to Nnewi and back will cost over N90,000.
“How can we cope in this country when my salary is completely consumed by transportation. The government needs to address this issue,” Okonkwo pleaded.
Ifeanyi Chuku, a spare parts dealer, said that the worsening economic situation was affecting his business and personal life.
He said that he had decided to leave his vehicle at home, thinking it would be cheaper to travel by commercial bus to his village in Anambra.
“Well, it isn’t cheap after all, considering it costs almost N10,000 for the journey.
“This country used to be a place where Christmas and New Year celebrations were exciting. I can no longer wait to leave Nigeria,” he added.
Miss Tessy Ekema, a trader based in Eleme, stated that she recently paid N3,500 for transportation to Aba, compared to the N2,500 she paid few weeks ago.
She questioned why the reduced pump price of petrol had not resulted in lower fares on the Eleme-Aba route.
Addressing the rising transportation costs, the Chairman of Andoni Local Government Council, Lazarus Nteogwuile, has announced free transportation for those travelling from Port Harcourt to Andoni between Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.
Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged both commercial and private vehicle drivers to avoid excessive speed and remain vigilant on the highways.
Mr Inyang Umoh, the FRSC Sector Commander in Rivers, said that officers had been deployed to strategic points on the roads to ensure the safety of travellers.
“Personnel have been stationed to ensure free flow of traffic within Port Harcourt, the Eleme area of the East-West Road, and surrounding locations.
“We are likely to see increase movement in the coming days, but our officers are strategically stationed to manage the rush that typically occurs during Christmas,” he added.
Despite the proactive measures by the FRSC, Umoh reported that one individual tragically lost his life in an accident on Monday along Ikwerre Road, near the Mile One market area of Port Harcourt.
In response, the Police Command in Rivers has assured residents of their safety during the festive period.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said that the command had opened checkpoints on major highways and other strategic locations on interstate roads.
“We have reinforced security along our roads and checkpoints to ensure travellers experience seamless movement during the holidays.
“In addition, officers are conducting 24-hour patrols on the roads, especially on the highways, to safeguard travellers against criminal activities,” she told NAN. (NAN)
By Our Reporter.
The President , Host Communities of Nigeria producing Oil and Gas HOSTCOM, His Highness, (Dr )Benjamin Style Tamaranebi JP has praised Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu under his Renewed Hope Agenda by increasing the production output of crude oil on assumption of duty, that reduced oil theft .
In an open letter to Nigeria’s President,Niger Delta Youths tagged “Call for Restraint; Killing of personnel of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL, Bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta – Protecting our future ” issued on Thursday by the leadership of the host communities stated that the engagement of Tantita and other security agencies has yielded tremendous positive results.
With this , we commend President Tinubu for engaging the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited TSSNL among many others, while condemning the killing of its harmless and armless personnel.
While using the opportunity to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the confidence reposed in the maritime security outfit as a critical security stakeholders in the maintenance of oil installations and assets in the Niger Delta.
Though , we are not aware of some dissidents and disgruntled elements to unhappiness with the success story President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has brought to oil and local communities in the Niger Delta.
With the recent bombings of oil installations in the oil producing areas of Niger Delta, killings of Tantita Security personnel are reckless act that threaten the peace and stability of the country , but the future of our communities.
He described the bombings and attacks as an act of destruction, far from act of heroism that does not good to the progress and development already achieved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the region.
He further described the attackers as tools in the hands of politicians ,their gladiators and criminals and not freedom fighters who meant well for the Niger Delta people.
He said this unpatriotic actions does not meant well for the good people of Niger Delta having suffered from different incidents of economic, political and social degradation, relieved by the enactment of Petroleum Industry Act PIA by the present administration.
Chief Dr Benjamin Style Tamaranebi reminded the host communities on the provisions of the act and it’s consequences on the oil communities, stating that a community that engages in crises forfeits benefits which is unambiguous in section 257 subsection 2 of the PIA act.
The release further states..
OPEN LETTER TO:
” ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR PRESIDENT & COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.”
” YOUTHS OF THE NIGER DELTA .”
A CALL FOR RESTRAINT: KILLING OF PERSONNEL OF TANTITA SECURITY SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED (TSSNL) AND BOMBING OF OIL FACILITIES IN THE NIGER DELTA – PROTECTING OUR FUTURE
“That farsightedness and courageous actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, especially in the oil and gas sector in the last nearly two years, have transformed the landscape and allowed Nigeria to improve its oil production quota significantly and reduce rampant oil theft, is no longer news.”
“It’s also obvious that engagement of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL) and other non- state actors in the task of policing and securing the nation’s economic assets has yielded tremendous positive outcomes.”
“It’s in this regard that we commend Mr. President for the confidence he has reposed in Tantita as a critical part of the security architecture for maintaining oil assets in the Niger Delta.”
“However, we are not unaware that some disgruntled people are unhappy with our successes and the relief that Mr President’s courageous steps have brought to the country, and especially to local communities in the Niger Delta.”
“The recent bombings of oil pipelines and cold-blooded murder of TSSNL personnel in the Niger Delta are reckless acts that threaten not only the stability of our region but also the future of our communities.”
” They are not acts of heroism but acts of self-destruction. ”
“Those who engage in these crimes are not freedom fighters, they are tools in the hands of selfish politicians and criminal syndicates, who care nothing for the Niger Delta or its people.”
“These actions, carried out under the guise of political grievances, are shortsighted. They do not serve the interests of the Niger Delta people—they only deepen our suffering.”
“Let us be clear: Destroying our oil assets is economic suicide. It’s a direct attack on the very lifeline of our communities.”
“Our host communities have endured environmental degradation, economic hardship, and neglect for decades. ”
“The passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) was a turning point, ensuring that our communities finally receive direct benefits from the resources extracted from our land. ”
“The PIA was a hard-earned victory that finally guaranteed the host communities a share of the wealth generated from our land.”
“Billions of naira have already flowed into community trusts, empowering local development initiatives. However, Section 257, Subsection 2 of the PIA is clear: ”
“Any community that engages in sabotage forfeits these benefits. That means the very people committing these attacks are robbing their own families and their futures.”
“Attacking oil infrastructure weakens Nigeria’s economy and directly robs our communities of the progress we have fought to achieve.”
“Let us also be clear about who benefits from this destruction. Not the youths. Not the struggling leaders of the host communities. Not the hard-working people of the Niger Delta. The only winners are the oil thieves, the corrupt politicians and the foreign oil barons, who are eager to see our region remain unstable and underdeveloped.”
“The situation in Rivers State is political, and political issues require political solutions. Destroying pipelines and killing security personnel will not resolve these conflicts—it will only make our region more volatile and unlivable. Oil spills poison our rivers, destroy aquatic life, and render our land barren and our youths are left with nothing.”
“The youth engaging in these attacks must ask themselves: Who truly benefits from this destruction? Certainly not the host communities.”
“This madness must stop. Tantita Security Services and other security outfits are crucial in safeguarding Nigeria’s oil assets. Their presence has helped to curb oil theft, improve production levels, and stabilise our national economy.”
“TSSNL and other security personnel are not our enemies but our brothers and sisters working to protect our collective future. It is indefensible to do anything to bring them to harm. They have put their lives on the line to protect our oil wealth from criminal gangs. Killing them is not act of resistance, it’s cowardly and an unforgivable betrayal of our people and our future. ”
“The crisis in River State is political. Politicians will eventually settle their differences- but will they bring back the lives lost? Will they restore our environment? Will they restore the benefits stolen from our communities? No, they will move on, leaving our youths stranded to suffer the consequences.”
“We must not be fools. We must not allow ourselves to be used. Every youth in the Niger Delta must reject this cycle of violence and destruction. Protecting our oil facilities is not about helping the government- it’s about securing our future. ”
“We aligned with the the position canvassed by a human right activist, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, after the unjustifiable killing of some personnel of Tantita, when he said, “The engagement of TANTITA is critical in combating the scourge of oil smuggling and bunkering. As a local company, they possess intimate knowledge of the terrain in the Niger Delta and are acutely aware of the hiding places and tactics employed by these criminals.”
“We in HOSTCOM believed that this unique understanding of the Niger Delta terrain by Tantita and its personnel is vital for effective onslaught against oil theft, and it’s imperative that our security agencies and other critical stakeholders in our region recognise the selfless contributions of Tantita and its main promoter, our own indefatigable Niger Delta crusader for better life for our people and champion of equitable and fair distribution of the nation’s resources, High Chief, Dr. Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation and support them.”
“We in HOSTCOM also know and believed it to be true that President Tinubu’s administration has taken drastic steps to enforce the PIA, which has ultimately increased oil production and revenue for our region. Reckless acts of violence must not destroy the progress.”
“It would be recalled that for decades, governors in the region have collected 13 percent of derivation from the federal government and yet have done nothing to develop local communities, despite receiving this fund that runs in billions of naira.”
“We thank President Tinubu GCFR; the Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engineer Mele Kyari and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe FNSE CFR, for ensuring effective compliance with PIA, a development which has led to major spike in our daily production of crude oil from abysmal 600,000bpd to about 1.8mbpd with the good work of TSSNL and other state and non-state actors.”
“We urge traditional rulers, community leaders, and responsible citizens to reject violence and report any individuals attempting to incite destruction in our communities.”
” The Niger Delta must not be used as a battleground for political struggles that do not serve the interests of its people.”
“The government must swiftly crush these criminals and their sponsors, if our persuasive appeals are ignored, before they do irreversible damage. ”
“Enough is enough. The Niger Delta has suffered for too long. We cannot build a future on sabotage and destruction. Let us rise above the schemes of greedy politicians and criminals. Let’s protect what is ours. Let us choose peace, progress and prospects.”
“We should choose stability over strife, collaboration over conflict and dialogue over discord.”
“We also call on the Federal Government to also address other root causes of youth restiveness in the region in order to strengthen the prevailing peace in the oil-rich belt.”
“We seize this opportunity to congratulate and wish Mr. President well on his 73rd birthday, on Saturday, March 29th, 2025.”
“We pray that God sustains you in robust health to enable you to carry out your policies and programmes as enshrined in the RENEWED HOPE AGENDA.”
GOD BLESS THE NIGER DELTA REGION
GOD BLESS THE SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
GOD BLESS ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR
GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
SIGNED:
HIS HIGHNESS (DR.) BENJAMIN STYLE TAMARANEBI (JP)
PRESIDENT, HOST COMMUNITIES OF NIGERIA PRODUCING OIL AND GAS (HOSTCOM)
In a decisive move to tackle unauthorised migration, Nigeria’s federal government has announced a nationwide crackdown on irregular migrants, effective from August 1.
The initiative is aimed at addressing concerns surrounding illegal immigration by urging those without valid documentation or overstaying their visas to legalise their status before the deadline. Authorities have made it clear that individuals who fail to comply will face arrest and deportation.
However, the government has reassured the public that enforcement measures will be conducted in a humane manner, with full respect for migrants’ rights.
A Northern youth group, Arewa Youth Council for Justice, has urged suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to end the conversations that led to her suspension from the Senate by issuing an apology to the National Assembly.
The group took the stand in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, signed by its National President, Isak Mammud and the National Secretary, Timothy Isaiah.
This came in reaction to the verbal war between Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi representing Ebonyi Central and former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili.
The youth group said the matter was assuming a disturbing dimension and should be brought to a close.
While accusing Senator Natasha of escalating a matter that should have been amicably resolved in the Senate within hours, the youths said if something was not done urgently, the matter could get to a more dangerous stage.
“What happened during the Senate Public Hearing could not have happened in the first place had Senator Natasha issued an apology to the Senate President and by extension the Senate a long time ago.
“It is sad that mere change of seating position has been dragged to such an extent that the reputation of Nigeria’s image abroad is being dented over a trivial matter, which was now blown out of proportion to the extent of alleging sexual harassment.
“We are troubled by the latest developments, including the shouting match during the public hearing, as well as the recall process against Senator Natasha.
“Indeed, the time had come for the Senator to heed the voice of reason by apologizing to the Senate President, whose image was unnecessarily attacked,” the group stated.
While commending Senator Akpabio for maintaining his cool all the while, the Arewa group noted that hiding under unfounded allegations to justify the flouting of Senate rules was totally condemnable.
“However, we appeal that should the Senator tender an unreserved apology, the Senate President, in his usual humility and peaceful disposition, should forgive her and allow her to be restored to the Senate.”