From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
The recent hike in the price of petrol though causing tremendous hardship in socioeconomic activities of Imo State citizens, has equally led to fewer cars on major roads of the state metropolis like Owerri, Imo State capital, Orlu and Okigwe with traffic logjam witnessed in these areas in the past have completely fizzled out.
Investigations by The AUTHORITY showed that since the price of petrol was increased from N520 to N617 per litre by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL,even though the product is being sold between 620 and 640 cars on the roads in the city especially private cars have significantly reduced.
It’s hypertensive sort of seeing most petrol stations in the State capital last Sunday for N620 to N640 per litre prompting most motorists into parking their cars and choose to trek or board commercial buses to attend to their various destinations.
Imperatively some perennial traffic logjam witnessed in some areas of the State capital such as MCC- Uratta junction, Fire Service junction, IMSU junction, Assumpta/Control Post Junction, ShopRite junction on Egbu Road, have disappeared since the latest hike in petrol price.
Some Owerri residents who spoke to this newspaper on the latest hike called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to reduce it.
Barr. Charles Olumba,,a legal luminary in Owerri lamented that the increase has caused unbearable hardship for the people of the State.
According to him “times are rough and tough. The cost of living has gone beyond the roof because of the increment.
“I wonder why this government will deliberately inflict pain and misery on the people who voted them into office under the guise of fuel subsidy removal
“This is unbearable and the people are getting fed up with the whole thing. Nigerians are running out of patience.
“If nothing urgent is done about it, then this country is ticking like a time bomb”he alerted.
