Lagosians Shun Inter-State Parties Over High Transport Fare

Many residents in Lagos are gradually shunning social engagements outside Lagos due to the very high cost of transportation as a result of the current rate of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), findings by kadecommunicationng have revealed.

According to checks by kadecommunicationng, the cost of travelling outside Lagos which has quadrupled due to the high cost of PMS is making many people avoid long distance parties.

Speaking with Kadecommunicationng, a Lagos socialite based in Ijora area of the State, Alhaja Moniya Badiru explained that the high cost of transportation has reduced the number of parties that she and her friends attended outside Lagos.

According to Alhaja Badiru, “People no longer attend parties outside Lagos in droves. The era where people attend parties in droves every weekend is long gone.

“When you look at the cost of transportation which has gone up due to very high cost of fuel, you will have to think twice before attending a party outside Lagos.

“Last weekend, my friends and i had a party in Ilorin, Kwara State. Ordinarily, we would have driven down to Ilorin or chartered a bus to take us; but we had to send only two of our members to represent us in Ilorin because the bus we used to charter for N15,000 was asking us to pay N40,000 just to get to Ilorin.

“I don’t blame the bus driver because the cost of fuel is now very high. If we have to pay N40,000 just to get to Ilorin, that means we will need another N40,000 to come back to Lagos.

“Spending close to N100,000 to attend a party in Ilorin from Lagos is not wise economically in this time. We hope things change for the better very soon.”

Also, a bus driver at Ojodu area, Mr. Tajudeen Salami said he usually gets hired for parties in Ibadan in Oyo State or Ife and Oshogbo in Osun State almost every weekend prior to the fuel Subsidy removal; but hasn’t left Ojodu since the fuel Subsidy was removed.

“Before the subsidy was removed, every Saturdays, we usually get calls from people attending parties outside Lagos for bus charter purposes.

“We hustle within Lagos from Mondays to Fridays and go Inter-State on Saturdays and Sundays. The Inter-State trips are usually for parties. However, since the removal of the fuel subsidy, I haven’t left Lagos for any party.

“When some of my clients called and I told them of the new charges which was induced by the fuel Subsidy removal, they didn’t get back to me.

“To go and return from Ibadan now, I will need minimum of N20,000 fuel which used to cost less than N6,000 before the subsidy removal. Now, when I ask my clients to pay N30,000 to go and return from Ibadan, they won’t call me back,” Mr. Salami told kadecommunicationng exclusively