Enugu: Residents turn to distance trekking as transport fares skyrocket

Many residents of Nsukka in Enugu State, south-eastern Nigeria, have resorted to trekking long distances following the hike in petrol pump price.

Public motor parks and petrol stations monitored showed that a litre of petrol now goes for between N1, 100 and N1, 200 resulting in hike of transportation fares in Nsukka.

A filling station manager who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria on condition of anonymity attributed the increase to hike of pump price to N855 per litre by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited on September 3.

He said, though the station was yet to get new supply, they had to adjust to the new price to enable him to buy products when they exhaust the stock they have.

A resident and civil servant, Victor Ezema, who trekked from Nsukka Old Park to Obeachara Junction Nsukka, a distance of about three kilometres said before the hike, commercial motorcyclists were collecting N300, but now raised the fare to N500.

“I have trekked in order not to be stranded since I am still travelling beyond Nsukka to attend to my office work,’’ he said.

Mr Ezema appealed to the government to urgently address the problem of petroleum products supply, especially by fixing the refineries to check the constant hike in pump price which inflicts hardship on Nigerians.

Another resident, Joy Nnadi, said that she trekked from Odenigbo road to Nsukka Main Market because of fare hike and appealed to the government to look into the sufferings of Nigerians due to the recent hike in pump price.

She said, “We used to pay N200 from Odenigbo to the market, but now the tricycle operators were charging N400 and this has certainly affected the market list I prepared this morning. To make sure I buy the items, I resorted to trekking from Odenigbo area to the market in spite of my health challenge. As we speak, all parts of my body are paining me because I do have rheumatism.’’

She expressed worry that as a crude oil producing nation the government had yet to come up with viable solutions to petroleum refining in the country.

The new increase in patrol price had affected prices of goods and services in Nsukka town and environs as a bag of sachet water that was sold at N350 now sells at N500.

Also, barbers have increased adult hair cut from N500 to N700, while children’s hair cut rose from N300 to N500.

Mr Sunday Ugwo, a barber at Lejja Park area of Nsukka, said he increased his price list because of the increase in petrol pump price.

“Before, adult hair cut was N500, children N300 and shaving N200 but now, adult hair is N700, children N500, while shaving is N400,’’ she said.