Petrol price hike: Residents abandon cars, resort to trekking in Kogi

IDRIS AHMED, LOKOJA.

The continuous increase in the price of petrol has become a source of worry to the entire residents of Kogi state.

As a result of the recent increase, many civil servants who own cars, have parked up and resort to using commercial motorcycles or trek to their offices.

The commercial motorcycle riders (Okada) and tricycle drivers have also hiked the cost of transportation along all the routes in Lokoja metropolis, rendering many commuters helpless.

As a result of the hike, traders have also increased the cost of all commodities, both at the markets and in the shops.

Abuja bound passengers from Lokoja have to pay seven thousand naira, while going to Lago’s from Lokoja costs not less than N20, 000 by commercial transport.

Everything has almost come to standstill with no hope insight for the aggrieved Nigerians, who may look for alternative if nothing is done urgently.

As at the time of filing this report, ques at the petrol filling stations are empty as car owners can not afford the high rocketed cost imposed by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).

Many residents expressed disappointment over the deliberate hardship imposed on the ordinary citizens occasions by removal of subsidy on the importation petrol.

Abubakar Haruna, a Civil servant told Daily Times that Nigerians jubiliated when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took over the mantle of the leadership of the country, but in less than 2 months Nigerians are already lamenting over the hardship imposed on the masses.

He advised the federal government to hasten the provision of the promised palliatives as a way to give hope to the less privileged

Mrs Esther Bamaiyi, a Lokoja based market woman, said the prices of the commodities are being hiked due to cost of transportation from the interior to the urban centres.

She suggested that Government should alleviate the sufferings by providing vehicles that will ferry the essential commodities from the rural areas to bigger markets or supply the needed goods at affordable costs to both the sellers and the consumers.