By Kamsi Anayo
THERE was unusual light traffic on the roads in most towns in Anambra state on the first day of 2023 as petrol sold for N300 and above.
The development forced most vehicle owners to park them, thus slowing down movement in the state.
For some time, petrol stations have been adjusting their pumps on daily basis until it came to point many people said they could no longer afford to keep their cars on the road.
In one filling station opposite the Amawbia flyover in the Anambra State capital, the attendants were adjusting the prize from N300 to N320 per liter in the presence of the people on the queue.
It was also observed that most stations stopped selling petrol on the eve of the new year, thereby frustrating people who had planned various activities, including weddings and burial ceremonies for the period.
As a consequence, transport fares have increased astronomically in the state.
Also, people traveling to other parts of the country from Anambra State are paying nearly three times the amount they were paying previously.
For instance, a journey from Onitsha to Awka, which used to be N500, was increased to N1000, while intra city transport increased from N100 to N300 in the major cities of Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi.
A civil servant, Mr. Okechukwu Onuma said he had decided to suspend his planned journey to his village as he could no longer afford the cost of fueling his car.
“It was a difficult decision to take, but I had to take it because there are bills to pay this month, including school fees and house rent.
” In fact, the hike in fuel prize was a blessing in disguise for me because I could have spent so much money in the village,” he said.
