Petrol stations in Umuahia, Abia State capital, have further adjusted the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol, to N1, 250 and N1, 300, respectively.
The latest development took effect between Friday evening and Saturday morning, to the frustration of motorists, business owners and passengers.
The commodity was sold at N900 on Monday in the city but was moved up to N1,100 on Tuesday following the N857 official price fixed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.
The situation worsened on Friday evening when petrol stations owned by members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, adjusted the pump prices to between N1,200 and N1,250, respectively.
A staff in one of the stations along Umuagu-Ubani Road, simply identified as Okechukwu, said that the directive to sell at the new price was “in response to several challenges, like the scarcity of the products from source.”
However, three NNPC outlets visited by DAILY POST sold between N855 and N897 with long queues of customers.
To remain in business, commercial vehicle operators in the city have increased transport fares in the city due to the outcry of passengers.
Intra-city tricycle operators who charged 150 naira for short-distance now charge between N200 and N300 in Umuahia.
Also, business centre owners who rely on petrol for their businesses have jerked up their charges to survive in business.