LIVE UPDATES
The hike in petrol prices has raised a lot of dust especially from last week as commuters, motorist and traders in South Eastern states expressed frustration following the situation with a touch of widespread criticism.
The recent increase in the pump price has further pushed the prices of food items and other essential commodities in the upward projectory in some major markets.
Traders at the Igbudu market in Delta state who lamented about the situation, attributed the high cost of food items to challenges of insecurity and the cost of transporting produces to the markets.
A tricycle operator in Warri, Suleiman Jeleel, lamented that the hike in the price of petrol had affected their businesses and reduced profits, necessitating the need to increase the transport fares.
He said, “Virtually all my collections from passengers are now used for re-fuelling, on daily basis.”
Also for Rebecca Amuda, a business woman attributed the continuous hike in prices of goods and services to the recent increment in petrol.
She said that petrol was selling for N1, 300 per litre at some filling stations in cities such as Delta, Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka.
However, the NNPCL outlets located along the Awka-Enugu Road sold petrol for N1,100 per litre, resulting in transport fares which suddenly soared above 30 per cent.
A shuttle bus operator in Onitsha, Chukwudi Ikem, lamented that the situation had reduced the level of patronage, claiming passengers now preferred to stay indoors.
Rockparrot News report that the situation in Benin, the Edo State- capital, prices of food items has furthered increased with the recent hike in fuel price.
A resident of Lampese, in Akoko Edo community, Alabi Sunday said, since the removal of subsidy in 2023, things had never remain the same.
"The situation have plunged many into hungers as most citizens cannot afford to purchase food items at a very high rate."
A trader, who sells food items on Lagos Street, Mama Jude, said the prices of food items were currently on the high while consumers’ patronage had gradually reduced.
She noted that a bag of local rice which was sold for N98,000 a few weeks ago was sold for N120,000, adding that half a bag of garri had increased to N45,000.
Also, transport fare has become exorbitant in the metropolis. A commuter, who gave his name as Niyi, said that transport fare has gone up by about 60 per cent.
He noted that when he paid N300 to commute the last two weeks, he paid N450 on Friday. He said the increase is the same all over the metropolis.
