By Augustine Akhilomen
Two days after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, increased the price of fuel, motorists and commuters across Nigeria continue to lament and groan over the current hardship many of them are undergoing at the moment.
Recall that on Tuesday, NNPCL Retail Management approved the upward review of PMS pump price from N617 per liter to N897 per liter, effective from September 3.
The expectation that queues at filling stations would dissipate after the sudden hike in petrol prices on Tuesday was dashed yesterday.
Many Nigerians particularly lament that their hardships have been compounded, as transportation fares and the cost of goods have already risen due to the petrol price increase.
Some note that they have had to adopt more belt-tightening measures, such as private car owners leaving their cars at home and taking public transportation, others trekking long distances, while some resort to begging commercial operators to charge them the old rates.
A motorist, Ruth Hoke, described the recent increase as the “highest level of insensitivity by the NNPCL and the federal government.”
Ms Hoke said Nigerians were undergoing excruciating pains due to the current high cost of products and services, yet they were now being punished more with another increase in the price of petrol.
She expressed worry that the prices of unaffordable goods, causing untold hardships, would witness an astronomical increase due to the recent hike in petrol.
”While salaries and wages remain stagnant, the government keeps increasing the pump price at the detriment of the poor masses,” she said.
A tricycle rider, Michael Joseph, stated that the government needed to consider the effect of its policies on the masses.
Mr Joseph said many people now preferred to trek instead of boarding commercial cars or tricycles.
According to him, the people who have no choice but to use their services are now being forced to beg for discounts on the fares.
“We need the government to care for the masses because Nigerian masses are suffering. We are buying N1,000 and above. How much are we going to carry a passenger?
“This is the job we created for ourselves, yet the government is bringing policies that will put us out of business,” Mr Joseph said.
Malam Abubakar Sa’idu, a commercial tricycle operator said the current fares were likely to be increased in the coming days.
He said it was difficult to join the queues at the NNPC stations, saying, ”this is because it could take almost half of the day before getting fuel.
”As such, we now buy from the black markers for a whopping sum of N1,400 per liter.
“The passengers do not blame us because everyone knows the situation we have found ourselves in Nigeria.
“We hardly make meaningful turnover as commuting has drastically dropped because people don’t go out anywhere except when it becomes necessary.”
Mr Dajuma Musa, a commercial motorcycle operator, on his part said the hike became inevitable if they must make ends meet considering the high cost of petrol.
“Most times lately, I prefer to be stationed at strategic junctions and not roaming around like I used to do before scouting for passengers,” Musa said.
Mrs Abigail Adams, a resident of Barnawa, lamented how the cost of transportation was affecting her resumption to work.
“With the meager salary I earn, I now spend at least N1,200 daily to and from work and I wonder how one can sustain having to spend this much on transportation.
“I urge the government to consider the plight of the citizenry by reverting the pump price and also fast-track the payment of the new national minimum wage,” she said.
Mr Haruna Dauda, a resident of Ungwan Romi, on his part expressed worry on how most of the parents would cope when their wards resume school in the coming week.
“This situation is so pathetic and may get worse when our children resume school.
“Imagine the parents that have three to four children that have to go to school every day, not to mention other costs like feeding and school fees,” Dauda said.
Similarly, residents of Ogun lamented the increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, saying it will further compound the economic hardship in the country.
During NAN’s visit to a motor park around Brewery area in the metropolis, it was observed that transport fares within and out of the city had increased.
The fare from Abeokuta to Iyana Ipaja in Lagos, which was formerly N2,000, is now N2,500, while Abeokuta to Sango moved from N1,500 to N2,000.
NAN also confirmed that commercial motorcyclists had increased their fares from one area to another within the state capital.
Mr. Kunle Olayeni, a civil servant, expressed concern over the current hike in PMS, saying it should not have come at a time when inflation is at an all-time high.
“No one expected that the fuel price would be reviewed upwards again by the government. The economy is already harsh, and Nigerians are generally unhappy.
“Invariably, independent marketers would have to sell above N1,000 and the price may even reach N1,500 per litre in some parts of the country,” he said.
Olayeni appealed to government to listen to the cries of the masses, the less privileged in the society and the majority of citizens who bear the brunt of this economic policy.
“The government should reverse the hike in fuel price and ensure that necessary measures are put in place to make fuel generally available to the people.
“President Bola Tinubu should look into the fuel matter and let Nigerians heave a sigh of relief,” he added.
Mrs Fauziyah Adebiyi, a trader at Kuto market, noted that the current situation of fuel remained worrisome.
“Increase in the price of fuel means an increase in the price of everything again. Things have not been the same since the removal of the fuel subsidy, and to worsen the situation, the pump price has been increased without prior notification,” she said.
Adebiyi stated that the situation had worsened because the prices of rice bags still remained between N70,000 and N72,000.
”In addition to that, a big tuber of yam remains N5,000, and a small basket of tomatoes still remains the same.”
Adebiyi urged the Federal Government to urgently address the citizens’ yearnings, saying the increment would affect food prices in the market.
