Petrol users in Akwa Ibom State have attacked the state government over its failure to intervene in the indiscriminate hike of the product by marketers.
Consumers, especially motorists and commuters, have continued to groan under the hike in petrol pump price, which now sells for between N320 and N350 per litre in most filling stations.
As at last week, fuel was sold for between N250 and N290 per litre, but shortly before Christmas, the pump price increased to N300. It now sells for N350 per litre.
Although there is no reported case of scarcity of the product, The Nation reports that petrol stations have remained shut. However, those dispensing fuel, sell at cut-throat prices.
Checks by our correspondent in Uyo on the fuel situation in neighbouring states indicate that fuel sells for between N250 and N260 per litre in Cross River and Rivers states.
Angered by the situation, consumers, who spoke with our correspondent, blamed the Governor Udom Emmanuel administration for not stopping the incessant hike by marketers in Akwa Ibom State.
For instance, Unwana Assam said: “In the early hours of today, I placed a call to a friend who is based in Abuja and the two others who are in Lagos to ask and confirm how much is the pump price. I received the shock of my life when they both confirmed to me that fuel is sold in the nation’s capital and the business hub at a price below N200.
“Immediately, I paused and asked myself; what exactly is wrong in Akwa Ibom that even the government seems less concerned about the well-being and what affects the people? That, even if you kill someone, roast and hawk on the street, the government will care not until the situation gets out of hand.
“When Akpabio was the governor, I could remember vividly how he used to set up a task force committee to checkmate the distention of pump prices by the petroleum dealers in the state and whoever hikes the price beyond the normal, his/her fuel station will be sealed off by the task force.
“Although the measure did not completely curb the hike of pump prices, at least, dealers were very careful whenever they wanted to increase the price of their product.
“Today, the price of fuel in Akwa Ibom is higher than the prices in other states in the federation. It started on December 1, and it has continued to date, and nobody, not even the government that’s supposed to strictly checkmate this new menace said or done anything about it.”
However, Akwa Ibom State Government has frowned at the hike in the price of petrol by independent marketers in the state and has threatened to deploy a special task force to address the situation.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Petroleum Matters, Sir Victor Etefia, who had embarked on a surprise visit to petrol stations around Uyo metropolis, said the monitoring team would intervene.
He said: “The monitoring team of my office will begin a station to station inspection from tomorrow (Monday, January 2) particularly to stations who have accessed the 1.5million litres sourced by the state government to ensure compliance by marketers.”
Etefia urged the public to report any station found selling beyond N300 per litre to his office for prompt action.