PH Drivers Reject Planned Fuel Price Hike

Commercial drivers operating in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital, have condemned a rumored attempt by the Federal Government to increase the pump prices of petroleum products in the country and threatened to hike fare, should the government increase the price further.

Some of the drivers who spoke with our correspondent at the weekend said there was no need for any further increase as the current N145.00 per litre of petrol was already too high.

Christopher George Ford, a taxi driver, said, “How can one recover such amount you spend in buying fuel. It means that we shall increase transport fare no matter how the masses will view our action”, he said.

George Ford advised the government to think of other ways of getting revenue instead of looking towards the direction of oil alone.

“We have been hearing of diversification to non-oil sources, yet government won’t leave the price of petroleum products alone”, he said.

Another driver, King Amos, also condemned any such plan, remarking that only few months ago, the government increased the prices of petroleum products and appealed to the masses to bear with the situation as that was the only option left.

“Just how many months, we have started hearing of further increase. Do they want to kill us”.

He appealed to the government to avoid anything that would necessitate such plan.

However, Chidi Stanley, a bus driver, said, “how wont government increase fuel price when it depends more on importation. It is obvious that anything that affects the exchange rate between Naira and Dolar would directly pust the prices higher.

Stanley maintained that until the local refines become fully operational and production levels are adequate for local demand, price increase would continue.