Kwara residents on Tuesday received with anger the hike in the pump price of petrol from about N512 to N617.
Newspot reports that after the announcement of the new increase, few vehicles were seen on Ilorin roads, while most fuel filling stations closed for business temporarily, but reopened later.
Some of the fuel filling stations in Ilorin now sell at between N559, N595 and N600 per litre.
Residents, including motorists who spoke to our correspondent, complained bitterly about the new increase, describing the removal of the fuel subsidy as unjustifiable.
Bashir Bakar, a retired Federal civil servant and Vice President, Ilorin Recreation Club, tasked the federal authorities to put in place measures to mitigate the suffering of the masses arising from the increase in pump price of petrol.
He argued that the new increase from N515-N520 to N617 will no doubt lead to further increase in prices of goods and services in the country.
Bashir asserted that there would be astronomical negative chain effects on the lifestyle of Nigerians, especially increase in transport fares across the country and general rise in cost of living.
He suggested provision of buses by the federal government to state governments, adding that any increase in salaries and wages will still not make any impact on workers.
Another resident, and senior officer with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, who preferred anonymity, said: “we don’t know how to cope with it.
“I buy N3,000 petrol everyday for my trip from Egbejila-Airport area to the Post Office.
“Removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government has no positive impact on the masses, and any increase in salaries for workers will compound the rate of inflation that will follow,” he added.
A commercial transporter, Abdulkareem Azeez, who plies Ilorin-Omu-Aran-Egbe route, lamented the new increase saying the flow of passengers has reduced drastically as a result of consequent increase in transport fare.
He said prior to the Tuesday increase in the pump price, the transport fare per passenger from Ilorin to Omu-Aran, was between N1,200-N2,200 but will now be pegged at N3,000, while Ilorin-Egbe now attracts N5,000.
Ilorin-Lagos now attracts over N10,000 fare, depending on take off point, while Ilorin-Abuja fare has increased to N18,000.
Azeez complained that “in less than two months, we have been caged and put into serious suffering by the federal government.”
The Manager of Ara-Oje petrol filling station, Tajudeen Balogun said sales fell drastically as a result of the previous increase in the pump price, adding that with the new increase, “we expect a more serious drop in sales the more.”
He noted that most motorists have been forced to abandon their vehicles as they prefer to go by public transport.
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