By Miracle Chukwu
A CROSS section of residents in Abuja have expressed concerns over the high cost of goods and services following the recent hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol.
The respondents who spoke on the situation of things in the country, bared their minds in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
They observed that prices of staple foods such as rice, beans, millet, yam, among others have gone beyond the reach of the average and poor Nigerians.
Mrs Grace Dariya, a civil servant, said that people were expecting a fall in the prices of foodstuffs as soon as new yam and corn were harvested, but regretted that the sudden hike in the pump price of petrol, shattered their hopes.
“Every day you go to the market, prices of foodstuffs keep soaring and yet no money to meet this rising cost of things,” she said.
Mr Ahmed Yusuf, a resident of Kubwa, said that the prices of commodities suddenly changed since the petrol pump price was increased to N855 and above per litre, by the government.
“As a result of this recent increase, business owners, landlords, school owners, commercial transport operators and artisans have all increased prices.
“Life is becoming more challenging especially for civil servants and low-income earners in Abuja,” he said.
Yusuf said he usually drove his car to office before the recent hike, but that he now entered public transport to office.
“Before the recent hike, I used to buy petrol of N15,000 and use it for one month, but now I spent N40,000 on fuel for one week, and so, I decided to park the car and resort to joining public transport,” he said.
Another resident of Kubwa, Mrs Ifeoma Chukwu, who is a retired police officer, said the federal government did not feel the pulse of the masses before the recent increase in the pump price.
“Since the advent of this administration, pump prices of petroleum products have been increased for about three times and the most recent hike has caused harrowing experiences to most Nigerians.
“We appeal to Mr President to possibly revert to the old price before he took over power because the masses are suffering.
“As a retiree, many of us survive on drugs and some still have dependents, especially students, and the upsurge in the prices of things has further increased people’s pains,” she said.
Chukwu, who said that those in major cities were the worst hit, said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government was yet to implement the new national minimum wage before increasing fuel pump adjustment.
“The federal government had promised to increase the salary, but this didn’t happen, yet they went ahead to increase the price of petrol.
“Let President Bola Tinubu and his government come up with people-oriented policies and programmes because Nigerians have to be alive to participate in other government programme,” she said.
Others who spoke to NAN, including Adam Isha, Gloria Sunday and Ibironke Ariyo, all civil servants, lamented that school proprietors equally increased school fees and other charges, thereby making things unbearable for parents.
They appealed to government to urgently adopt measures to alleviate the plights of the masses especially by reverting to the old petrol pump price. (NAN)
