Fuel Price Hike: Residents Groan Over Increased Hardship

• As Petrol Sells Above N1,000

Residents of Osun State have expressed their frustration over the recent hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as Petrol.

They lamented that the increment has further plunged them into increased hardship in addition to scarcity that has lingered for weeks.

This is as the price of the product has risen to above N1,000/litre across filling stations in the state.

In separate interviews with OSUN DEFENDER across the state yesterday, some of the residents including commercial transporters, business owners, market men and women, civil servants, artisans, among others noted that the rise in PMS price has further worsened the already precarious situation.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had on Tuesday announced a rise in petrol price from N617/litre to N897/litre.

According to the national oil firm, “This is to inform you that NNPC Retail Management has approved upward review of PMS pump price from N617/litre to N897/litre effective today, 3rd September. 2024.

“Please ensure all your pumps and totems (price boards)/MIDs reflect the new PMS price of N897/litre,” the message said.

READ: Fuel Price Hike: NANS Threatens Nationwide Protest

Since the new price regime began, residents of Osun have continued to groan about the impact of the development.

A commercial transporter, Mr. Femi Ibrahim who had queued for petrol since September 1 told OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday that the situation has affected his business in no mean measure.  

Ibrahim explained that, “At times, we would leave our family at home. People come here to buy fuel around 1:00 am, 2:00 am, sometimes 3:00 am. When someone is working and needs fuel for the job, the stress of trying to obtain that fuel can be exhausting for everyone involved and the job will be affected. It is too bad.”

Another resident, Laide Kolawole stressed that petrol price increase has led to a low patronage.

Kolawole, who is a barber in Ikirun said he had to resort to being a commercial motorcyclist in Osogbo to make ends meet.  

“On Sunday, I slept at the filling station for me to be able to get the fuel as soon as possible. On Monday night, I left Ikirun around 2:00 am in the midnight for me not to queue much, but unfortunately when I got here, I already met like 60 vehicles on queue.

The fuel situation really affected my business. That is why I now travel to Osogbo daily to work as a commercial motorcyclist so I can feed my family. It is really a worrying situation.

Mrs Abisola Adeoye, a civil servant at the state secretariat noted that the situation has forced her to abandon her vehicle as she could not afford fuel at the new rate.

“I cannot take my vehicle to work again. It is just too bad. I used to fill my tank with less than N10,000 before the current government took over. When the price has ranged from N500 to N800 in the last six months, I filled my tank with N19,000. With the new price at almost a thousand naira, I will fill the same tank with N35,000.

“I am the breadwinner of my family. I have two kids in the University. There is no way I can cope with that amount of money to buy petrol. I have changed to public transport. It is really a turbulent period for us and there is nothing we can do about it. The government should just have mercy on us. Survival is difficult at the moment.”

Speaking in an exclusive interview with OSUN DEFENDER, a rights activist, Comrade Daniel Abayomi decried the increment.

Abayomi said it is pathetic that at a time many Nigerians are grappling with how to manage their lives with the ripple effect of subsidy removal, government still added to the burden of the masses.  

The activist stressed that “Almost every item of survival in Nigeria is now expensive. Everything is just skyrocketing on a daily basis. We are in this state because of the poor economic policies that has inflicted more hardship on Nigerians.

“The time to act is now. Nigerians can no longer breathe. This is the condition we now find ourselves. Only a decisive action will ameliorate the suffering of the masses. If they truly are a government of Renewed Hope, they should take action,” Abayomi stated further.