With just hours to the 2024 Christmas day celebrations, Nigerians are grappling with the harsh economic condition which is being felt at the open markets as prices of food items, basic home needs and inter State transportation fares soar
Some of the citizens who spoke to ait.live in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, South East Nigeria, attribute the economic hardship to the high pump price of premium motor spirit otherwise known as fuel as well as cash crunch being experienced
It’s another Christmas season, and countdown to a new year, which usually is marked with festivities among the Christian communities across the country.
It has become a tradition for most people to move from the urban centres to their hometowns, especially among the Igbos of the South East region of Nigeria.
But, the 2024 Christmas season is witnessing a low travel record as many citizens are grappling with harsh economic realities, following what is attributed to effects of the petrol subsidy removal policy of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
Transportation fares, prices of staple foods and other commodities in the open markets have skyrocketed, coupled with the cash squeeze at the Banks and Automated Teller dispensing machines, thereby compounding the economic problems of the people..
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At the Abakaliki International market and the Rice mill company in the metropolis, both the buyers and sellers, are lamenting the soaring prices of commodities which they say have trippled.
Mathias Nwigwe and Ngozi Igwe describe the rising cost of goods as “terrible”, while appealing to the authorities to urgently ameliorate the suffering of the ordinary Nigerians.
At the livestock section of the Abakaliki market, prices are said to be way beyond the reach of buyers who expressed frustrations, just as the seller laments low patronage.
ait.live visited the central transportation terminals in Abakaliki which had the offices of many of the companies operating inter state services under lock and key.
The closures may not be unconnected with the continued shutdown of services due to the protracted Monday sit-at-home action as suggested by the intending travellers.
In all, citizens look forward to a peaceful Christmas celebrations, with the optimism that 2025 will be a prosperous year for the people and country.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
