Uyo residents decry hardship

Michael Emem, a Uyo-based economic analyst, said that many households would face severe hard times if the current petrol price persisted.

Some residents of Uyo metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, have said they are facing difficulties due to the current petrol price in the country.

Beatrice Okeke, a teacher, said she stopped using her vehicle for over a month due to the increase in petrol price.

“Before now, I could buy N20,000 worth of petrol for my car and use it for about one week. With the current reality, N30,000 worth of petrol can’t take me to work for five days,” she said.

Mrs Okeke said providing food for her family had become very difficult because she spent more money on transportation to work.

Another resident, Nsikak Uwem, a taxi driver, said the income from his business had drastically reduced due to the new petrol price.

Mr Uwem said that he spent more money to purchase petrol, and end up with “very low’ daily turnover.

“The current reality is that things are difficult. We spend almost all we get to buy petrol, it’s a sad situation,” he said.

Also speaking to NAN, Akpan Uko, a tricycle operator, said that he could no longer make complete returns to the tricycle owner since petrol price went up.

“Before now, I remitted N10,000 daily to my principal, but I am unable to continue because I spend more money on petrol.

“The owner of the tricycle is threatening to take it from me; times are really tough,” he said.

It would be recalled that the price of petrol went up from about N900 to N1, 400 in March, following the US/Israel war on Iran.

Michael Emem, a Uyo-based economic analyst, said that many households would face severe hard times if the current petrol price persisted.

Mr Emem urged governments at various levels to evolve ways of cushioning the effect of the hardship on citizens.

(NAN)