Ever before now people have been making preparations for this year’s Christmas Celebration amidst economic hardship tabled on the face of insecurity, scarcity of cash, transportation hike, high cost of goods.
Many people had a gradual preparation, gathering their needs, others are caught up on the cross road of unpreparedness as a result of economic hardship engulfing the country.
Our reporter interviewed some people majority of who concluded that they would not travel because they could not make it financially.
According to Okay Ihemdi, it could have been great and best option is for one to travel at least to see family members, friends and well wishers, stressing that nothing could be sweeter than that but listen to news it is all about kidnapping, insecurity, scarcity of Naira, hike in prices of goods and food items.
Stephen Peter on a phone chat said that it is not easy for one to travel amidst high cost of items, remembering that a bag of rice is barely sixty thousand Naira, chicken is not less than ten thousand, and condiments. Transportation is on the high side, stressing that like him some families are not less than six and travelling from Port Harcourt to Benue, one has to set aside over one hundred and twenty thousand Naira for transport alone. He questioned the benefit of Christmas Celebration when one does not travel but after careful analysis he has decided not to travel especially as a result of hike in transportation fare as many travellers are stranded along motor rand’s with their loads. The late travellers it is learnt will take off after 25th.
On the economic hardship within this period, the Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara approves a Christmas bonus for Rivers Civil Servants of One Hundred Thousand Naira for those on the payroll. This was made known yesterday Tuesday 19th December 2023 by Hon. Commissioner, Information and Communication, Joe Johnson.
According to the Governor this bonus is for immediate implementation to enable the beneficiaries have a wonderful and blissful yuletide Celebration.
