The people of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have expressed shock and disappointment over the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the NNPC Retail Management.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NNPC Retail Management had on Tuesday approved an upward review of the pump price from N617 per litre to N897 litre, effective from Sept. 3.
This is amid economic hardship and persistent fuel scarcity.
Checks by NAN revealed that the NNPC retail stations immediately adjusted their pumps and totems (price boards), reflecting the new PMS price of N897 as against N617 perlite.
Many residents in Maiduguri, Yola and Damaturu, who spoke to NAN said that it was more worrisome that the product was not even available at the cost of N897, forcing them to buy a litre from the black market for between N1,000 and above.
In Maiduguri, most filling stations have no fuel, while the few with fuel are selling from N1,100 and above leading to an increase in transport fares by about 30 per cent.
However, Borno Government mass transit taxis and buses are still conveying passengers within Maiduguri at the old prices of N100 per drop for taxis and N50 for buses.
Yakubu Baba, a civil servant said it was unfortunate and insensitive that the increase was coming when the government was yet to implement the new minimum wage.
“Its sad we continue to experience a series of increases in prices of things despite the non-implementation of minimum wage by the Federal and most state governments.
“Such development looks more like punishment for workers and other Nigerians.”
In Yola, the capital of Adamawa where the commodity sells for between N1,100 and N1,200 per litre, transport fares have been increased by 30 per cent.
