By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Barely 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced resolve to withdraw fuel subsidy, petrol pump price had risen from ₦180 to ₦500 and ₦700 respectively in most filling stations in Anambra State.
According to our reporter, many fuel stations had equally shutdown in some parts of the State, with the owners claiming lack of the premium motor spirit.
As at press time, NNPC Mega Station at Amawbia, Mobil Station in Okpuno, Festoil at Aroma junction, all in Awka South Local Government Area, were shutdown either because of subsidy removal or the sit-at-home declared by a faction of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in remembrance of victims of the 1967 to 1970 Biafra War.
This was even as Javamin Fuel Station located close to Anambra State government house sold for ₦500 per litre, as against ₦700 been sold by Ifenna oil and others operating within the Awka capital city.
A commercial driver, Mr Uche Ogudinobi, told Blueprint that the development was why most transporters have decided to increase the transportation fare from ₦50 to ₦150 and ₦200 per a drop depending on the distance.
Contacted, the Anambra State Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, Barr. Tony Ifeanya, described the ugly development as act of wickedness on the sides of petrol marketers, and assured that the government would monitor it and come out with official position.
"We know is a fallout from Mr president's speech yesterday. Ordinarily, one does not think that this should bring about this kind reaction. Mr President statement did not show that it will be implemented immediately. Are they selling the product in high price because they bought new one?
"Is it not wickedness? Are they changing the pump price because they have finished selling the old products or bought new one? This is how we are killing ourselves and blame the government. Anambra State government cannot just fold it hands. We have deployed our monitoring teams to gather the reports before we can take action," he stated.