Nigeria: Garden City Games TITS Bits

David Ngobua

30 June 2011

Daily morning rains For residents of Port-Harcourt, there is nothing unusual about the heavy rain that falls every morning but for those who are visitors to the city, it is a source of concern.

Indications are strong that most of the events especially outdoor games like football, hockey, cycling, golf, and handball may suffer the most as there are fears that matches would not be played according to schedule.

For instance, the heavy down pour yesterday almost stopped cycling from holding as competitors, their officials and members of the technical committee were forced to take cover in nearby buildings.

Thus, it is becoming certain that the only way out is to take along an umbrella at all times in case rain comes unexpectedly. It is bound to be so for this is the period of uninterrupted rainfall in the coastal areas.

No cheap hotels in town

Stories told of how Port-Harcourt is the most expensive Nigerian city never meant anything to me until now that I have come face to face with the reality of the high cost of hotels here.

While Abuja Nigeria’s capital city famous for its costly nature offers modest, decent but affordable hotels for a low as N5000, Port-Harcourt is without decent hotels that go for such ‘little’ amounts. The least expensive hotel in Port-Harcourt is N10,000. Therefore, it is only those want to sleep in what can best pass for a brothel that go in search of N5,000 hotels here.

To make matters worse, the influx of visitors as a result of the sports festival has brought competition for the few available hotels that can be afforded by those with limited financial clout.

Those interested in attending the Garden City games should be aware that there are no cheap hotels in town.

Brisk business for cab operators

The story of the expensive nature of Port-Harcourt cannot be complete without a mention of the high cost of transportation here. Like Abuja, commercial cyclists have been banned in Port-Harcourt city and what is now available for use are taxi and buses which ply the routes.

This has made it easy for commercial motorists to have field days now that more people have arrived the city for the sports festival. A distance that attracts N200 at most in Abuja is as much as N600 here.

The only option left is to make use of the available buses but that is only if one is conversant with the city. Any attempt to charter a taxi is tantamount to committing economic suicide.

Yours sincerely attempted to show little fiscal responsibility by boarding a bus but ended up paying more. I missed my way completely and had to take a taxi back to Mile1, Ekwere road No 49, office of Media Trust Ltd.

AllAfrica – All the Time