On Wednesday morning, motorists in Akwa Ibom State, particularly commercial drivers, are facing significant hardships as the price of petrol reached an alarming N650.00 per litre.
The situation is particularly dire in the state capital, Uyo, where only a few filling stations are currently dispensing the fuel. Most filling stations along major roads like Ikot Ekpene Road, Oron Road, and Aka Road have remained open since Tuesday, May 30.
The skyrocketing petrol prices have also led to a slight increase in transportation fares. Many passengers, unable to afford the higher fares, were left stranded yesterday. Commuters have been greatly affected, and the situation is causing significant distress.
Mr. Andrew Uduak, a commercial tricycle operator commonly known as Keke, expressed his dismay at the recent surge in petrol prices resulting from subsidy removal. He sympathized with passengers and lamented the excessively high increase.
On Tuesday, filling stations were selling a litre of petrol for N500.00, but today it has reached N650.00. Uduak even expressed concern that the price might rise to N800.00 per litre in the near future.
Uduak emphasized that passengers should understand that the rise in transportation fares is a direct consequence of the increased petrol prices. He expressed his frustration with the current state of affairs and hoped that the government would intervene promptly.
Uduak mentioned hearing rumors of a task force being sent by the federal government to address the situation in Akwa Ibom. He expressed his hope that this issue would be resolved soon since it is negatively impacting both drivers and passengers. In some cases, passengers are choosing to walk rather than pay the exorbitant fares.
Mr. Odudu, another commercial driver, shared his experience of spending over three hours at a filling station on Wednesday before finally obtaining petrol.
Local residents are growing increasingly concerned and fear that if the situation is not promptly addressed, it will have a detrimental impact on the cost of food items, exacerbating the challenges faced by the populace.
Note: The prices mentioned in the article are fictional and used for illustrative purposes.