MOTORISTS, PASSENGERS IN ABAKALIKI GROAN AS PUMP PRICE OF PETROL INCREASES

Reporter : AMECHI ODO

Motorists and commuters have expressed anger over astronomical rise in petrol pump price at various filling stations in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Radio Nigeria observed that many filling stations visited were sold the product between two hundred and two hundred and twenty Naira per litre.

But in the last one month, the cost of petrol in filling stations in Abakaliki and its environs hovered between One hundred and seventy and One hundred and eighty Naira.

The latest hike to two hundred and twenty Naira was therefore received by residents of Abakaliki with rude shock given that they were already groaning under the prevailing high cost of living.

A commercial tricycle operator, popularly known as keke, Mr. Linus Igwe, described the development as unbearable and called on the Federal Government to increase the country’s capacity for local refining of the product to reduce hardship.

Another keke operator, Mr. Kenneth Eze, said the hike had affected fare as a drop within the metropolis now goes for between four hundred and five hundred Naira while a trip to Mile fifty, Nkaliki and other suburbs had increased from one hundred to One hundred and fifty Naira.

Two commuters, Mr. Emeka Obi and Ms Lilian Ifeyinwa, called on the leaders of the country to be fair to the citizens, emphasising that the hike in the price of petrol would further worsen the inflation rate in the country.

A representative of a Mass Transit Company, Mr. Chukwuma Osulor, said they increased their fare in all routes by three hundred and five hundred Naira as result of the sudden hike in the price of petrol.

Radio Nigeria observed that the hike in price had resulted in long queues at NNPC filling station at Abakaliki Enugu Expressway where petrol was still being sold for One hundred and sixty two Naira per litre.