From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Private-owned fuel stations operating in Rivers State have suddenly hiked pump price to N1,100 per litre.
The sudden increment took effect a
few hours after news filtered the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced new pump price.
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that earlier on Tuesday, most fuel stations with products did not open for business.
But, it was discovered that shortly after NNPCL announced its new pump price, the fuel stations suddenly opened and adjusted their pumps to N1,100 per litre.
As at Monday evening, private owned fuel stations sold between N960 and N980 per litre.
Reacting to the new development, commercial drivers in Port Harcourt said they were worse hit by the hike, wondering how they would meet up their daily income.
According to a motorist, Michael Chikwado, drivers had also increased the transport fare.
A Vanagon bus driver, Onyedikachi Godwin, confirmed the statement by Chikwado that drivers had also increased transport, stressing that the citizens should blame federal government and not commercial drivers.
Godwin expressed: “Now, no driver is ready to hear “please, help me. I don’t have transport money” from any passenger. It is not our fault. Anybody that wants to beg should go and beg the government.”
Meanwhile, the NNPCL mega station at the popular Lagos Bus Stop in Port Harcourt township, at the time of filing the report, was not in operation.
A 10-litre jerrycan of fuel is now selling between N12,500 and N13,500 depending on the location.
Ends.