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Many residents of Gombe State have lamented over the recent price hike by the Gombe State Transport Services, popularly known as GombeLine.
Arewa PUNCH reports that the new price list also affected both the inter and intra travels with the company.
Based on the new price advisory signed by Muhammad Sani, Head of Social Media Gombe State Transport Services, for interstate travels, Gombe to Lagos will now cost N30,000; Gombe to Abuja is now N12,000; Gombe to Kaduna now N12,000 – from an initial N9,000.
Also, the intrastate travels were not spared as Dukku, Nafada, Funakaye, Billiri now cost N2,000 per trip; while Kaltungo is now N2,500, Filiya N3,500, Bambam N4,000, Dadin Kowa N700 and others.
In an open letter sighted by Arewa PUNCH addressed to the Chairman of the company, Bobo Benson, the State Chairman, African Action Congress decried the cost of transportation, describing it as unfair and at the detriment of the masses, especially those from the southern zone.
The letter read in parts, “I, Bobo Benson Bagwiba, State Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC), Gombe State Chapter, I’m writing to bring to your urgent attention the discriminatory transportation fare rates in our state, which disproportionately affect the people of Gombe South.
“The following distances and fare rates highlight the discrepancies Nafada – 90 km from Gombe; Billiri – 53 km from Gombe (with good access road and high volume of passengers); Filiya – shorter distance than Nafada (with better road conditions); Kaltungo – 73 km from Gombe; Dukku – 73 km from Gombe (with rough and bad road conditions); Funakaye – 73 km from Gombe; Dadinkowa and Kumo: Both are 38 km away from Gombe, yet Dadinkowa: N700 Kumo: N1,500, Yola and Bambam: Both have the same fare rate of N4,000, despite varying distances from Gombe.”
Benson disclosed that the inconsistencies in the fares were unacceptable and could perpetuate inequality among citizens.
“We demand an immediate review and adjustment of these fares to reflect fairness, equity, and inclusivity.
“As an opposition party, we call on your office to demonstrate inclusive leadership by addressing this issue as a matter of emergency. The people of Gombe State, especially those in Gombe South, deserve better,” he added.
Also speaking, Abednego Ezra, a civil servant with the Gombe State civil service and resident of Tumfure, noted that the increment portends further hardship.
Ezra noted, “This price increase is going to cause more trouble for the residents.”
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