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The recent petrol price hike announced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has noticeably slowed down business activities in Imo state. If you drive through the major roads connecting rural areas to Owerri, the state capital, you’ll notice a significant decrease in traffic volume.
A noticeable decrease in vehicular movement is apparent on major roads that connect rural communities to urban centers and Owerri, the state capital, signaling a reduction in traffic flow.
According to reports, individuals who need to travel shorter distances are opting to walk to their destinations, while civil servants struggling with high transportation costs due to the increased petrol pump price are now attending work only two or three times a week.
In a similar vein, some commercial vehicle drivers, unable to cope with the increased fuel costs under the new pump price regime, have opted to ground their vehicles, leaving them parked at home.
Mazi James Ukagha Emesibe, a commercial vehicle driver who plies the 25km route from Obazu Mbieri community to Owerri, the Imo state capital, shared his struggles, saying, “Due to the lack of passengers, some of us have been forced to consider alternative livelihoods.”
He said, “following the hike in the pump price of petrol, we increased our fare on each route and this increase in the fare which is not affordable to the majority of the passengers, led to the low turnout of passengers”.
Mazi Emesibe implored the federal government to reevaluate its position on petroleum products marketing, emphasizing that a misstep would intensify the suffering of the masses.
Read also: Imo State On High Alert With IGP’s Aerial Patrols Initiation
Reacting to the present situation, most peasants called on the federal government to do something urgent to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
In her own contribution, a vegetable seller at the Owerri Central Market, known as ‘ Ekeukwu Owerri’, Mrs Juliana Uzondu, said that the money she makes from the sales, goes back to transportation leaving her with nothing for the family.
It’s been eight years since her husband’s passing, and she’s had to rely on her own resourcefulness to get by. Fortunately, her vegetable business has been a consistent source of support, allowing her to care for her loved ones.
With the new academic session just around the corner, she’s urging the federal government to ease the economic burden on citizens. As schools in the state prepare to reopen, she believes it’s essential to alleviate the hardship faced by many families.
She urged government officials to recall the campaign promises made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that paved the way for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. It’s essential to remember the commitments made to the people, she emphasized.
