Hike in petrol : motorist, small business owners lament

Will there ever be respite to the economic woes many Nigerians are facing in Nigeria?

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited  announced the increase in pump price of petrol to N897 per litre from the official price of N617.
The outcome of this announcement is not a palatable one as Motorist  and petty traders who depend on fuel to run their business are lamenting. 

PEBNEWS learnt that some filling stations along Airport Road, Effurun are selling a litre of fuel for 1,200 naira.
Mr. Misan, a tailor who spoke to PEBNEWS correspondent says: " the situation we are in now is worrisome, how can I buy fuel of one thousand two hundred naira to run my generator just to sew clothes". 

A motorist who identified himself as Big Kay says: "l bought fuel just on Monday this week for 930 naira and today Wednesday, they are selling a litre for N1,200. This is shocking.  How did we get here"

An elderly man who preferred anonymity said, the fluctuation in the price of petrol is a planned strategy by the  NNPC to see that no one  buys Dangote's fuel. He added that,  the hike in the pump price could further throw Nigerians into poverty and worsen the inflation levels in the country". 

A  woman at the filing station said, she sells for black market and will definitely increase her price to 1,400 when she returns home.
NNPC  has said that, the recent hike  in prices is due to constraint by the huge debt it owes international suppliers. The debt is estimated to be $6.8 billion.