The new price template is already taking a toll on residents in most parts of the country.
For instance, some FCT primary school pupils and secondary school students have been reported stranded at various bus stops early yesterday in Abuja over a hike in transport, the sequel to the increase in the pump price of petrol.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the students spotted had to resort to begging motorists and other passengers to ease their burden.
At the Durumi AP filling station junction where passengers often board vehicles, school children were seen sitting by the roadside for inability to pay their transport fares.
A student who identified herself as Aishat said from the junction to her school, she used to pay N100, but the commercial drivers now charge as much as N300.
She called on the Federal Government to quickly intervene by providing palliatives to help reduce their burden, adding that most of her colleagues might not attend school due to the hike.
Another student, John Aina, claimed that he used to pay N200 from the same junction to his school before subsidy removal, but now had to part with N500 to get to school.
Also, some of the students were spotted stranded at the Lugbe Airport road due to a hike in fares.
Another student who identified himself as Uche said to get to his school from Lugbe Airport road to Government Secondary School, Garki, it used to cost 200, but the subsidy removal has increased to N500.
He also called on the government to look at the plight of students and urgently come to their aid by cushioning the effect of the subsidy removal on students.
•Abuja civil servants shun work
Just barely 24 hours after the official announcement of a price hike by the NNPCL from N195 per litre to between N540 to N600 per litre, most Abuja civil servants could not afford to report to work yesterday.
ThisNigeria observed that workers of the FCT Administration and FCDA as well as in the Federal Secretariat, especially the junior cadre did not report to work yesterday.
Most offices in the FCT Administration were virtually empty. A junior civil servant who craved anonymity said most of his colleagues could not afford the new fare. He told confided in this reporter that he came to the office because of a compelling need that was largely personal.
Some FCTA staff that reported to work on Wednesday became stranded when the news of the hike broke in the afternoon. Some people were seen milling around motor parks with the intention of getting free transport or lift after the official close of work.
It will be recalled that the initial fare of N200 became N400 in the evening while the distance of N300 became N600 and above.
Boarding tricycles from Nyanya junction to Karshi Satellite town which used to cost N300 became N600 while some transporters charged N700. A civil servant in the Federal Secretariat, who chose to remain anonymous said that if the situation persists, they might be forced to draw up a roaster for themselves on how many times in a week they will report to work.
He stressed that their current take-home cannot sustain them any longer with this latest development.
*As NLC denies stage-managing unrest
The NLC, through its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah has called on the public to disregard the stories that it did not emanate from them.
Upah stated: “Our attention has been drawn to stories circulating in the social media space claiming that the Nigeria Labour Congress would commence protest action tomorrow (Friday, June 2nd) against the increase in the pump price of PMS.
“In as much as we are outraged by this mindless price increase which is intended to bring untold hardship to ordinary Nigerians, we have no plan to start any action tomorrow.”
The Head of Information of the NLC explained that Labour was still meeting and that: “What we do have for now are organ meetings slated for today, Friday, June 2nd, 2023 to deliberate on the price issue.
“We promise to keep Nigerians informed on our next line of action after our meetings.
“In light of this, we advise the public to disregard these stories. They did not emanate from the Congress.”
NAN recalls that President Bola Tinubu had on May 29 announced that the country could no longer sustain the subsidy regime, saying “subsidy is gone”.
Also, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Malam Mele Kyari, said there was no cash backing to sustain the subsidy regime in spite of the provision of subsidy for June.
He, however, assured that there would be a gradual reduction of prices by marketers as time goes on.
Reacting to the development situation, Rep. Nkem Agbonta (PDP-Abia) said there must be a calculated attempt to cushion the effect of subsidy removal particularly in the transport sector.
He further said there was a need for dialogue with major transporters as well as independent marketers while calling for proper and close monitoring to ensure there was no sabotage
