High fares force residents to trek long distances
Many residents of Nsukka in Enugu State have resorted to trekking long distances following the hike in petrol pump prices.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a correspondent who monitored public motor parks and petrol stations, reports that a litre of petrol now goes for between N1,100 and N1,200, resulting in a hike in transportation fares in Nsukka.
A Filling Station manager who pleaded anonymity attributed the increase to a hike of pump price to N855 per litre by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on Sept. 3.
He said that though the station was yet to get new supply, they had to adjust to the new price to enable him to buy product when they exhaust the stock they have.
A resident, Mr Victor Ezema, who trekked from Nsukka Old Park to Obeachara Junction Nsukka, a distance of about three kilometres, said before the hike, commercial motorcyclists were collecting N300 but now raised the fare to N500.
“I have trekked in order not to be stranded since I am still travelling beyond Nsukka to attend to my office work,” he said.
Ezema, a civil servant, appealed to the government to urgently address the problem of petroleum product supply, especially by fixing the refineries to check the constant hike in pump price, which inflicts hardship on Nigerians.
Another resident, Mrs Joy Nnadi, said she trekked from Odenigbo Road to Nsukka Main Market because of the fare hike and appealed to the government to look into the sufferings of Nigerians due to the recent hike in pump price.
“We used to pay N200 from Odenigbo to the market, but today the tricycle operators were charging N400, and this has certainly affected the market list I prepared this morning.
“To make sure I buy the items, I resorted to trekking from Odenigbo area to the market in spite of my health challenge.
“As we speak, all parts of my body are hurting me because I do have rheumatism,’’ she said.
She expressed worry that, as a crude oil-producing nation, our government had yet to come up with viable solutions to petroleum refining in the country.
NAN also reports 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 was sold at N350 now sells at N500.
Also, barbers have increased adult haircuts from N500 to N700, while children’s haircuts rose from N300 to N500.
Mr Sunday Ugwo, a barber in the Lejja Park area of Nsukka, said he increased his price list because of the increase in petrol pump prices.
“Before, an adult haircut was N500, children N300, and shaving N200, but now, an adult is N700, children N500, and shaving is N400,’’ she said. (NAN)