COMMUTERS and motorists in Enugu, Enugu State, have expressed sadness over the latest hike in the pump price of petrol from about N530 per liter to N650 and above.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who monitored the situation in different parts of the city, reported that both commuters and motorists were complaining over the new price of the commodity.
The areas visited included Awkunanaw, Abakpa Nike and Obiagu, where most of the service stations had few customers at the pumps.
The development has resulted in an increase in the intra-city fares by an additional N50.
For instance, fare from Gariki to New Market, which used to cost N250 before, now costs N300, while fare from Mayor Junction to the Holy Ghost Market went up from N200 to N250.
Also, from Obiagu to New Market, New Heaven and Abakpa, which used to cost N150, now costs N200.
A commercial bus driver, Nelson Igwebuike, lamented the hike, saying that it was bound to “inflict more pain and sufferings” on the residents.
“Where do we run to in this country?” he asked rhetorically.
A civil servant, Obiageli Okoli, said she would meet with her superior at the office to work out the number of days she could come to the office in a week.
Mrs Okoli said, with the current economic reality, it would be hard for her to go to work daily.
A tricycle operator, Sunday Onovo, said the economic hardship was becoming unbearable to the ordinary man.
“As you can see, there are many tricycles on the road but few passengers.
“People either chose to trek or remain indoors because of the fare hike and general economic hardship,” she said.
The residents urged the federal government to initiate urgent measures to reverse the trend and save the ordinary Nigerians from hardship. (NAN)
