Travellers returning to their abodes and workplaces after the Christmas and New Year celebrations have decried the exorbitant fares across motor parks in Ibadan on Sunday.

The commuters claimed to have paid less while travelling for the celebrations than returning.

A passenger, Rose Adeleke, said those who celebrated in their rural communities were surprised at the high cost of transportation getting to the motor parks.

She noted that the transport fare from Ibadan to Lagos was raised by almost 70 per cent due to the rush.

“The drivers capitalised on the fact that many workers wouldn’t want to get sacked for not resuming work tomorrow (Monday),” she said.

Mrs Adeleke said she had to borrow money to add to what she had.

“It is better to borrow and get back to resume my work than stay here and lose my job,” she said.

Similarly, Emmanuel Olugbenga, said he had no choice but to pay the inflated price for himself and his family members.

According to him, his children must resume school on Monday.

A civil servant, Kemi Aina, said commercial drivers took undue advantage of having more commuters than available vehicles to raise the fares.

She, therefore, urged the government to provide more vehicles to accommodate the high influx of travellers at motor parks during festive periods.

This, she said, would mitigate the plight of stranded passengers.

“In this difficult time, the government and other stakeholders need to find sustainable solutions that will allow Nigerians to celebrate with their loved ones without unnecessary financial strain or logistical challenges,” she said.

Meanwhile, an executive of the Park Management System (PMS) in Oyo State, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the park management would continue to prioritise passengers’ safety and rights.

(NAN)