Fuel subsidy: Nigerians react, lament hardship

Vehicle owners in Osun have started to feel the bite as far as the suspension on fuel subsidy regime is concerned.

A vehicle owner, Steven Olagunsoye, who was lamenting the development said the cost of pump price for petrol has become outrageous without the corresponding measures to mitigate the effect.

"I fill my tank with 10 litres every two days because I have to commute to work daily.

"Now, I have to fill it with N5000 every two days. This is outrageous as far as I am concerned."

A civil servant, Tijani Yusuf asked the government to establish a palliative system to assuage the impact the subsidy would have on the people.

"He should come up with a system that would afford people to go about without having reasons to complain.

"Mass transit buses should be provided for the people and Nigeria should go back to the era of price controls. If this is not done, we may end up with a crisis on our hands."

An interstate commercial transporter, plying the Abuja-Osogbo route lamented that the subsidy may throw him out of business if care was not taken.

"The tank of my car has a capacity for 25 litres. Do the maths. Means I'd end up with N25,000 and this is not even enough to take me to Abuja.

"Consider also that we have to give money to security agents at each check point. Who knows if they too will jack up the money they collect from us in response to fuel subsidy suspension."



FI