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 ₦1,100 and ₦1, 200 resulting in the hike of transportation fares in Nsukka.
A filling station manager who pleaded anonymity attributed the increase to a hike of pump price to ₦855 per litre by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on September 3.
He said, that though the station was yet to get a new supply, they had to adjust to the new price to enable him to buy products when they exhaust the stock they have.
A resident, 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 ₦300, but now raised the fare to ₦500.
“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 products supply, especially by fixing the refineries to check constant hikes in pump prices which inflicts hardship on Nigerians.
Another resident, Joy Nnadi said she trekked from Odenigbo road to Nsukka Main Market because of 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 ₦200 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 bought the items, I resorted to trekking from the Odenigbo area to the market despite my health challenge.
“As we speak, all parts of my body are paining me because I do have rheumatism,’’ she said.
She expressed worry that as a crude oil-producing nation, why 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 ₦350 now sells at ₦500.
Also, barbers have increased adult haircuts from ₦500 to ₦700, while children’s haircuts rose from ₦300 to ₦500.
Sunday Ugwo, a barber at Lejja Park area of Nsukka, said he increased his price list because of the increase in petrol pump price.
“Before adult haircut was ₦500, children N300 and shaving ₦200 but now, adult is ₦700, children N500, while shaving is ₦400,’’ she said.