By Bonaventure Alufo
Hopes of meaningful relief have faded among residents of Awka, as the much talked about marginal reduction in fuel prices across major filling stations along Zik Avenue has proven too insignificant to ease the burden.
A visit to several stations revealed that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) now sells for ₦1,320 per litre, a slight drop from ₦1,360 recorded last week. Diesel prices also dropped from ₦1,980 to ₦1,950 per litre. However, for motorists and households already grappling with rising living costs, the reduction has offered little comfort.
Most station attendants declined to speak with the press, but a senior staff member, who requested anonymity, dismissed claims of any real relief.
“Let’s be realistic,” he said. We reduced PMS by just ₦40 and diesel to ₦1,950. After years of continuous increases in the petroleum sector, can this be called relief? Depot prices are still high, and foreign exchange rates remain unstable. This is only a slight adjustment to reflect the market reality. Customers are not celebrating.”
Gesturing toward the noticeably thin queue, he added, “People now buy ₦2,000 or ₦3,000 worth of fuel. The idea of filling a full tank is almost gone.”
Customers interviewed echoed similar frustrations, describing the price adjustment as insignificant in the face of the broader economic crisis.
A commercial tricycle operator, Chike Nwosu, expressed his dissatisfaction: “What difference does a ₦40 or ₦30 reduction make? Last week, ₦2,000 gave me about 1.47 litres. Today, it’s about 1.51 litres. I still struggle to feed my family. I still charge ₦200 per drop, and passengers complain. The hardship is still there we are suffocating.”
Similarly, Mrs. Adaku Ezebuilo, a school teacher and mother of four, lamented the situation: “My salary has remained ₦85,000 since 2023, while everything else has increased. I saved about ₦60 on fuel today, but that can’t even buy a sachet of water. The hardship is getting worse. It’s not uhuru yet we are still struggling to survive.”
For small business owners, the situation is equally dire. Obinna Dimkpa, who runs a printing press, shared his experience: “I spent ₦38,800 on diesel today instead of ₦39,600. Is that what they call relief? Two of my workers resigned last week because of the situation. Customers are reducing because of high printing costs, and power supply from EEDC remains unreliable. The hike is still very much in place, and so is the hardship.”
Despite the slight adjustments in pump prices, the consensus among Awka residents is clear: the fuel crisis is far from over, and any perceived relief remains largely symbolic.
*Bonaventure is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
