Some residents of the Uyo metropolis, Akwa Ibom, have said that they are facing difficulties as a result of the current price of petrol in the country.

The residents made the expression while speaking in a survey conducted in Uyo on Wednesday.

One of them, Beatrice Okeke, a teacher, said that she had stopped using her vehicle for more than one month due to the increase in petrol price.

“Before now, I can buy N20,000 worth of petrol in my car and use it for about one week. With the current reality, N30,000 petrol can’t take me to work for five days,” she said.

Ms Okeke said that providing food for her family had become very difficult because she spent more money on transportation to work.

Another resident, Nsikak Uwem, a taxi driver, said that the income from his business had drastically reduced due to the new price of petrol.

Mr Uwem said that he spent more money to purchase petrol and ended up with ‘very low’ daily turnover.

“The current reality is that things are difficult. We spend almost all we get to buy petrol; it’s a sad situation,” he said.

Also speaking, Akpan Uko, a tricycle operator, said that he could no longer make complete returns to his principal since the current petrol price became a reality.

“Before now, I remit N10,000 daily to my principal, but I am unable to continue because I spend more money on petrol.

“The owner of the tricycle is threatening to take it away from me; the times are really tough,” he said.

It would be recalled that the price of petrol went up from about N900 to N1,400 in March.

Michael Emem, an Uyo-based economic analyst, said that many households would face austere times if the current petrol price persisted.

Mr Emem urged governments at various levels to evolve ways of cushioning the effect of the current petrol price on the ordinary citizens.

(NAN)