By Zulqarnini Muhammad
Civil servants in Gombe State are facing growing hardship following the recent increase in fuel prices across the country.
Many workers now resort to trekking long distances to their offices, while others spend hours waiting for taxis due to limited number of taxis on the roads.
A civil servant Mr. Bitrus James, has appealed the state government to intervene by providing staff transport buses to ease the burden on workers.
He said the rising cost of transportation is affecting productivity and daily living.
Students are also feeling the impact of the hike, lamenting that to afford the current transport fares now is a previllage for a few.
Amina Ibrahim and Ahmad Hassan are students of Gombe state University, who expressed concern over way in which the situation is seriously affecting their academic activities.
“It’s no longer possible now for us to be able to meet up with early morning lectures due to the long hours we spend in trekking to school or waiting for cheaper transport.
They described the situation as stressful and discouraging.
Radio Nigeria correspondent who monitored the situation in the morning observed that many students were stranded at various points across the state while waiting for taxis to their destinations.
Meanwhile, a taxi driver, Bilya Nuhu, defended the fare increase, explaining that operators were forced to adjust prices due to the high cost of fuel, which has significantly affected their business.
“What do you expect us to do since we’re buying the fuel at a higher cost than before.
He appealed for understanding from commuters, noting that drivers are also struggling to cope with the rising operational costs.
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