Anambra Government Cautions Petroleum Products Marketers Against Price Hike
Chinwe Onuigbo, Awka
The Government of Anambra State, south eastern Nigeria, has warned petroleum products marketers against hiking the prices of their products following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pronouncement on fuel subsidy removal.
Speaking in Awka, the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Tony Ifeanya made clear that the ministry will not hesitate to sanction any petrol station that violates government directive.
Barrister Ifeanya said no petrol station in the state has any reason or justification to hike the prices of the products since the federal government is yet to commence the removal of the fuel subsidy which he explained is still going to be a process and through a procedure.
He also noted that the petrol stations are still selling products purchased at normal prices from the depot and were no way affected adversely by the President’s pronouncement.
The Commissioner pointed out that hike in prices of petroleum products will have a chain reaction on the economy and increase transport fares and prices of goods in the market.
He stressed that the state government will not allow any individual or group to subject Anambra people to untold hardship because of selfish interest, adding that regulatory agencies will be notified to take necessary actions against petrol stations that sell above the approved pump price.
Barrister Ifeanya said the state Joint Petroleum Enforcement Team will also be deployed to seal petrol stations that ignore government directive.
Voice of Nigeria gathered that on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, the NNPC Mega Station at Amawbia, Mobil Station in Okpuno, Festoil at Aroma Junction, all in Awka South local government area of the state, were shut down with the owners claiming the product was not available and many commercial drivers and commuters were stranded.
This was even as Javamin Fuel Station located close to Government House Awka, sold for N500 per litre with long queues, as against N700 at Ifenna oil and others operating within the Awka capital city.
The hike in fare from N100 to N200 and N300 per drop depending on the distance,made many people walk half-way to their destinations before boarding commercial vehicles so as to pay half the amount.
Some residents who spoke to Voice of Nigeria begged the governments at state and federal level to quickly intervene in order to ease the difficulty the situation has posed to Nigerians.
