Following the worsening effects of the removal of petrol subsidy, some employees have been forced to devise means to survive amid the hard time.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that some employees have now resorted to spending weekdays in their offices while they go home to their families on weekends in a bid to reduce cost of transportation.
Recounting the struggles witnessed since the removal of fuel subsidy, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in Ondo State, Stephen Adewale, said: “Nigerians are adopting cost-cutting strategies to stay afloat because times are extremely tough.
“First, I noticed that more people now walk a considerable distance to get to work or their places of business to save money.
“You would note that streets and highways are no longer busy in the morning and evening. I have noticed that many of my acquaintances now opt to leave their cars at home and take commercial transit instead.
“For instance, recently, I spent N80,000 refuelling my car as I travelled from Ondo to Ilorin. In contrast, my friend who travelled from Akure to Ilorin for the same occasion left his car at home and chose public transport, which cost him only N20,000. I have noticed that many employees now choose to spend the weekdays at work and return home on weekends.
“Businesses are also adjusting to the new reality. For example, my office had to lower the number of days workers would come to work to three days per week to cushion the effect of the fuel price increase on the staff.”
On his part, a public affairs analyst, Ayo Fadaka, said: “Life for Nigerians under the administration of President Bola Tinubu is hell.
“We simply jumped from the frying pan that Buhari’s era represented directly into fire.
“I consider it stupid to make our pump price at par with what is obtainable in the US or UK.
“The joke that government wants to distribute N8, 000 per household for 12 million Nigerians is another ploy to bleed our nation dry.
“Buhari may have done the same and got away with it, entrenching the same by this administration will not only be criminal but also provocative.”
Advising citizens on how they could survive amid the austerities, politician and farmer in Ondo State, Zadok Akintoye, said: “To adjust, I am aware that some of my friends and associates have had to sell off one or more cars for low fuel-consuming vehicles. Some pre-plan their movement. “Citizens would look for cheaper options to meet their basic nutrient needs. The full impact of the policies you see now would become fully felt in about one year.
“My advice is for citizens to tame their expectations and prepare for the worst.” (Vanguard)
