Hardship Looms, Nigerians In Tears Over Tinubu’s Fuel Subsidy Removal
Bauchi residents groan over fuel price hike, demand urgent intervention
The news of adjustment in the official pump price of PMS from N199 per liter to an undisclosed price by the management of the NNPC, on Wednesday, was greeted with condemnation and displeasure from residents of Bauchi.
Those who spoke to Ibom Focus expressed divergent views berating the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC Federal Government as insensitive to the sufferings Nigerians went through in the last 8 years of Muhammadu Buhari.
In all the NNPC Mega stations in Bauchi and a few major marketers like Matrix, Shafa and AA Rano, the pump price adjustment has been effected in line with the directive by the nation’s oil company.
However, a visit to a few filling stations owned and operated by independent marketers, the pump price varies from N550 to N700 per litre, a development that has forced many people to park their cars until the situation improves.
Some of them who spoke to our Correspondent expressed dismay over the development, stating that it is too early for the administration to start with such a sensitive situation as fuel subsidy.
They however advised that President Tinubu watch very carefully before taking a step that may rubbish whatever good intentions he has for the country.
Some of the independent marketers who volunteered to speak under the condition of anonymity said that they are waiting for the official pegging of the price before knowing how much a litre of petroleum products will cost.
As it is now, economic and commercial activities are at the lowest ebb following the unexpected rise in the pump price as transportation fare for intra-city, particularly on commercial motorcycles and tricycles, have gone up.
A drop on either commercial motorcycle or tricycle which used to be N100 is now N300 while distance destination now costs the sum of N500 from N200.
A few of the operators who spoke said that they had to quickly adjust the prices in order to meet the demands of the current situation saying that as a union, there will be a meeting during which an official stance will be taken.
At the State DPR office, no official was ready to comment on the development saying that they are awaiting further instructions and directive from the headquarters.
Also at the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle operators union, the only official on ground said that though he was not authorised to speak, the leadership is studying the situation and will react appropriately.
One Idi Danladi, who spoke to this reporter after buying fuel at one of the filling stations in the city, said, “Since there’s no more subsidy, why the fixed pump price by the Federal Government? Let the Independent Marketers determine the unit cost of the product based on the market indices on a daily basis.”
