Few hours to the Christmas celebration, Nigerians are lamenting hike in cost of transportation, food items as well as other commodities needed to mark the birth of Christ.

According to them, the increase in prices of goods was caused by the scarcity of petroleum products which seemed to have paralysed commercial activities in the state.

A Youth Corps member decried that the transport fare to Lagos from the popular Kuto market in the Ogun State capital has risen to 1,000 Naira from 800 Naira.

Similarly, commercial activities have been on the rise in Osogbo, the Osun State capital as residents thronged various market places and motor parks ahead of the Christmas celebration.

Although the markets were filled with customers, traders still lamented low patronage which according to them may be due to the economic situation of the country.

Some motor parks in the Osun State capital also experienced low turnout of passengers as a driver, James Oyeniyi, lamented continuous hike in petrol price which according to them was being sold for 120 Naira per litre.

In Nigeria’s southeast, transporters at different motor parks in Owerri, Imo State’s capital also complained bitterly about scarcity of the petroleum product which they also blamed for the low turnout of passengers.

At Aforigwe market in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State where residents believed items were bought cheap, both buyers and sellers criticised the exorbitant rise in prices of commodities.

However, some residents trooped into various supermarkets and stores at the busy business hub within the city, Ikenegbu business layout, saying they must celebrate Christmas to herald the birth of Jesus Christ not minding the economic situation.

People travelling to various parts of the country from the northern region such as Kaduna and environs for the celebration are also groaning with the increase of transport fares by commercial drivers.

Transporters planning to convey passengers from Kaduna to other parts of the country decried shortage of passengers as they called on the Federal Government to urgently address the problem to reduce their sufferings.

While most filling stations across the metropolis were still locked up due to the petroleum scarcity, those that opened for business sold the product at over 80 per cent of the normal price.

As the transport fare from Kaduda to Akwa Ibom rose to 8,000 Naira form 6,000 Naira, some of the travellers said with no end in sight to the scarcity, they could suspend their trips as the inter-state transporters had also inflated their fares.

While black marketers sold a four litre gallon of petrol as high as 1,000 Naira, most of the filling stations sold a litre of the product for 200 Naira to struggling and impatient motorists and those buying in jerry-cans.

•Credit (except headline): Channels TV. Photo shows market without the usual Christmas bubble.

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