By Adebayo Adenrele
Residents and commercial drivers in Ekiti State have expressed frustration over the recent surge in the price of petrol, saying the development has worsened the economic hardship already facing many households.
Across major towns in Ekiti State, motorists and passengers lamented that the sharp increase in fuel prices has triggered a corresponding rise in transport fares and the cost of living.
Speaking with NEWSTODAYNG, a cab driver, Oladeji Bayonle, accused authorities of failing to protect citizens from the growing economic pressure.
According to him, petrol now sells for about N1,250 per litre, which has become unbearable for drivers and ordinary Nigerians.
“The government is generating money for themselves from the increase.
“The spiral increase in the unit price of pms and refusal of government to intervene and mitigate the pressure on the citizenry is concerning and troubling. Price of food stuffs in the market is already being affected, commuting to work daily by civil servants and other workers alike are becoming beyond their take home pay.
“Small business owners are already bearing the brunt of the hardship, the sudden increase in the pump price of petrol is beginning to eat deep into their profits, my brother, things and times are hard!
“Petrol is now selling for N1,250. Yesterday, it was N1,080 and today, everything has changed. Fasting is going on and this is the time prices of things are supposed to go down. That is wickedness. I have never seen something like this before,” he lamented.
A Commercial motorcycle operator, Bidemi Ayankunle said the drop in passengers caused by increased transport fares has forced him to reconsider his working schedule.
“As it is now, I will be working one day and resting the next day because there are no passengers to carry again. We don’t have a government; things are just hard in this country. Even Dangote that claimed to help has also increased the price. We are on our own in this country”.
A commuter, Odunayo Ibidun, said she now spends double the amount she used to pay for daily transport, saying“I don’t like the way things are happening in this country and we pretend it’s not happening. I used to spend N500 daily on transport but now it has increased to N1,000. How many days can I continue like this and survive? Foodstuffs are expensive and there are emergencies too”.
They called on relevant authorities to take urgent steps to stabilise the petroleum market and ease the burden on citizens.
Meanwhile, a fuel station attendant, who craved anonymity disclosed that they were yet to finish the old stock purchased at N875 per litre, when the pump price were adjusted to reflect the new price in order to make profit.
