The cost of marine transportation as well as goods and services in some coastal communities in Akwa Ibom State has risen by between 120 per cent and 150 per cent, forcing boat operators, fishermen and other residents to decry the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
A News Agency of Nigeria check showed that the sudden increase in prices was due to the removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government on January 1, 2012.
The cost of marine transportation as well as goods and services in some coastal communities in Akwa Ibom State has risen by between 120 per cent and 150 per cent, forcing boat operators, fishermen and other residents to decry the withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
A News Agency of Nigeria check showed that the sudden increase in prices was due to the removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government on January 1, 2012.
A boat shuttle from Ibeno, headquarters of Ibeno Local Government Area, to Itak Abasi, a fishing community within the council area, had on Monday risen to N100 per passenger as against N30.
A boat ride from Ibeno to Ntafre-Akata now costs N500, compared with the earlier fare of N200 for the 45-minute journey on the Atlantic Ocean.
Commercial motorcyclists ferrying passengers along the sea shores from the Ibeno beach to the Okposo fishing community now charge N500 per passenger, up from the previous N200.
A boat operator, Mr. John Etim, told NAN that the removal of fuel subsidy would cripple economic activities in the fishing settlements.
He said, “The poor people are at the receiving end of this fuel price increase announced on New Year day. Since our communities have no access roads, we depend on boats powered by outboard engines and canoes for our transportation.
“It is common knowledge here that outboard engines consume a lot of petrol and each of the boats you see here uses an average of 100 litres of petrol each day. Before now, we used to spend N7,500 on fuel daily, now it is N20,000. Even with the fare increase, we still cannot make any profit; so, we still have to increase further if we must remain in business.”
The Chairman, Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Samuel Ayadi, told NAN that the fuel price increase would have a negative impact on peasant fishermen.
Discussion about this post