True Nigerian Patriots Initiative on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately intervene in the issue of hike in transportation on both land and air.

Dr Athanasiys Okon, the National Coordinator said this while briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Okon called on the President to address transporters across board, considering the sky rocketing prices of transportation.

He also called on the minister of aviation to take charge, stressing that hike in transport fares for both land and air was becoming too much for the poor to bear.

According to him, recently stakeholders in the aviation sector requested for just a few relieves, especially incentives in Value Added Tax and import duties for essential accessories.

“To our surprise, nobody in the two essential areas has come forward to address these challenges faced by the stakeholders of aviation and transportation.

“Is it not surprising to see cost of flying an economy ticket of N45,000  rising as much as N80,000 and above,” he said.

He said that on ground, the multiplier effect was obvious; adding that what happened to aviation would affect land transportation.

He said that a distance of 12 hours by road before now was between  N10,000 and N12,000, stressing that as at today, it cost as much as N20,000 and above.

He therefore called on the Minister of Aviation, Sen Had Sirika and his Transport counterpart, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to rise up to the challenge.

Okon said that the primary welfare of the citizenry should be the concern of every appointees of the President.

NAN