Kano Motorists Abandon Vehicles as Subsidy Removal Bites Harder

Most vehicle owners in Kano city have been  forced to abandon their vehicles due to their inability to purchase fuel that is now beyond their reach following the withdrawal of the subsidy on the commodity by the federal government.

Investigations revealed that most vehicle parks and garages in the capital city are nearly filled to the brim with the cars and buses most of which carry empty tanks.

It was found that the vehicle owners abandoned them a few days after the pump price was hiked by the filling stations following the announcement of the withdrawal of the subsidy.

Checks revealed that even school buses are not spared by this development as drivers of such vehicles have  parked them, leaving the children to find their way to schools.

Some car owners lamented that they could  no longer afford to fuel  vehicles as they have other pressing needs to attend to.

Such basic needs, according to them, include feeding and medical care whose prices have equally skyrocketed.

One of the residents Alhaji Aminu Maigari, who parked his vehicle after the subsidy removal, lamented that the current situation has compelled him to resort to joining commercial Tricycles popularly known as Adaidaita Sahu,  whose operators have  also increased their charges outrageously.

He said:  “In a situation where you used  to pay an average of N50  per drop you now have to pay between N150 to N200 which is a serious drain on my resource. I have now decided that, instead of buying a N5,000 fuel  that is less than 10 liters for my car, I should channel the money to the purchase of foodstuff and toiletries for my family.”

A school bus driver, Musa Adamu said his school management has directed him to park the vehicle as it can no longer afford fueling it due to the prevailing situation.

He said the decision had compelled parents to find alternative means of transporting their children to schools, and such alternatives include commercial Tricycles, motorcycle, bicycles and trekking.