Akwa Ibom motorists, commuters lament over increased petrol price

Akwa Ibom commuters and motorists, especially commercial vehicle, tricycle operators have lamented the worsening cost of living and low patronage respectively due to recently increased pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popularly called petrol by marketers.

Vanguard observed on tuesday that some filling stations within Uyo metropolis are still dispensing at N320,00, per litre and others at N350,00, per litre despite warning by the state government last weekend that marketers should not sell the product above N300, 00 per litre.

A mini-bus driver who identified himself simply as Mr. Umoh lamented that the amount of money he makes on daily basis from the business has dropped drastically due to low patronage by passengers.

His words: “Since last week we have been buying petrol in most filling stations at 350,00 naira per litre in Uyo and there are some outlets dispensing at N320,00. Before we were buying, between N210,00, and N230, 00 per litre. Because of that increase last week the places we used to collect N100,00, we are now collecting N150,00 or N200,00.

” But the increased fare is affecting us seriously, because the passengers are complaining. When you drop off passengers some will vehemently refuse to pay the new transport fare. The hardship in the country is too much.

“Because of 50 or 100 naira increase, some communters are even ready to wait a long time until they see someone that can carry them at the initial amount. So my business has suffered badly since the petrol problem started”

Also Mr. Odudu, a tricycle operator and an indigene of Oruk Anam local government area lamented:”Since I traveled to my village on the 31st of December, I am still buying petrol at N350,00 per litre at the fuel stations.

“I even bought petrol this morning (Tuesday) at the same price of N350. At the black market it is being sold at N400,00 per litre. Sadly, the state government has not said or done anything about the situation”

Similarly, Mr. John Bassey a, public servant who resides in Eket LGA lamented, “I could not go to work today because of the increased transport fare. Last Friday I paid N800,00 to work as against N600 from Eket to Uyo. It is not easy.

” Things are really hard. Something should be done to address this issue, because it is going to worsen the cost of living. In fact I don’t know how am going to cope with work if the problem persists. “

Even some residents of Uyo metropolis, who do not enjoy steady power supply, complained that the development, coupled with the harsh economy made their Christmas holidays very boring as they could not afford to buy fuel for their generators throughout the period.

Some angry citizens of the state even insinuated that the reason the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Petroleum Matters, Mr. Victor Etefia, is a marketer is delaying to address the issue in the state is because he is a marketer.

But reacting to the fuel pump price hike, yesterday, Mr. Victor Etefia expressed disappointment over people’s ignorance regarding the situation currently in the country, adding that the monitoring team is currently trying to force the price down to N300,00 per litre in the state.

His words: “This is not about road construction, it is not an Akwa Ibom problem. Those abusing government should call those in Rivers, Cross River, Lagos, Abia states , they should be able to tell them the crisis the country is passing through regarding this fuel issue.

“And it is a global crisis. So when some people try to domestic the problem, it is either we ignore it, or allow you to express your ignorance. Fuel is imported by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC), no other person imports it, no other person refines it.

“So we really need to understand that this thing falls within the exclusive rights of the Federal government. We are already on ground monitoring, trying to force the price down to N300,00 to see if we can manage it, which I doubt.

“You can only manage it if the central distribution chain is functional. But when it collapses from the primary source, then there is nothing you can do, everybody will be scrambling to source from the secondary market which is the private Depot. And whoever is able to source from that secondary market, you have very limited power to control it”

Etefia noted that Rivers and Cross River States that are even enjoy location advantage are selling at N350 per litre stressing” Akwa Ibom is even operating the lowest within the confines of Eastern, South South zone. And it is as a result of the effort of the governor of this state. So leave those people who are talking about what they don’t know”