Many residents of Nsukka in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State on Wednesday resorted to trekking to their destinations following the hike in petrol pump price that increased transport fares, goods and services in the area.
Our correspondent who visited some Filling Stations in Nsukka town on Wednesday reports that a litre of petrol in Filling Stations sells at N1200.
A Filling Station manager who pleaded anonymity said the increase was as result of depot price that rose from N650 to N855 per litre as announced on Tuesday by Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
“My Oga (the owner of this station) called me on Tuesday’s afternoon to adjust our petrol pump machine price to N1200 per litre.
“He said that “this is to enable him to buy new supply if the petrol we have in the station finished”, the manager said.
Mr Victor Ezema who trekked from Nsukka Old Park to Obeachara Junction Nsukka said before motorcyclists collect N300 from him but because of yesterday (Tuesday) petrol price increase by NNPCL they are now collecting N500.
“I have been managing to pay N300 before and now they said it’s N500, I don’t have that kind of money. As a civil servant my salary has remained the same since the removal of fuel subsidy.
“Government should repair refineries in the country to stop this constant hike in fuel price that has inflicted hardship on Nigerians,”he said.
Mrs Joy Nnadi who trekked from Odenigbo road to Nsukka Main Market said she used to pay N200 to tricycle operators from Odenigbo to the market but today I was told the price is N400 because Filling Stations in Nsukka town were selling a litre of petrol at N1200.
“I have no option than to trek from where I am living in Odenigbo to the market.
“As I am talking to you, all parts of my body are paining me because it was a long trek.
” Government should find lasting solutions to the issue of petrol, the country produces crude oil, I don’t know why the crude will not be refined in this country,” she said.
Our correspondent also reported that, the new increase in petrol price had affected prices of goods and services in Nsukka town and environs as a bag of sachet water that before sold at N350 now sells at N500.
In barbing salon, prices have also increased as adult hair cut that was N500 before is now N700 while children hair cut rose from N300 to N500.
Mr Sunday Ugwo the owner of Sunday Barbing Salon at Lejja Park Nsukka said he changed his price list because of increase on petrol price on Tuesday.
Ugwo explained he buys petrol everyday to power his gen set in order to get ready and to attend to customers at all time.
“Before adult hair cut is N500, children N300 and shaving N200 but now adult hair cut is N700, children N500 while shaving is N400.
“Everyday I ensure enough petrol is always in my generator because you will not tell a customer who wants to barb to go because there is no public electricity and even when you are berbing him/her and midway there’s public power outage you must put on generator to finish it,”he said
He said it’s unfortunate that a country like Nigeria that produces crude oil would continue to suffer from fuel pump price hike and urged Federal Government to address this issue by repairing the country’s refinaries so as to end fuel importations in the country,” Ugwo said.
