By Kasarachi Azuka, Asaba
Business owners in Asaba, Delta State, are also crying out over sharp rise in fuel caused by fuel subsidy removal.
Details:
Chika Ebereofo, managing director, Ever Rich Bakery, Asaba, told newsmen that fuel is a major success of their power supply but the price is on the high side.
“We are used to using fuel both at home, factory and shop as we don’t have steady power from Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC).
“Before the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu, we’ve been buying N5,000 worth of fuel on daily basis at the rate of N210 per litre. Since, Monday when the subsidy was removed, we’ve been buying N10,000 worth of fuel daily at the rate of N510 per litre.
“We will not stop running our business but we are not happy because it is affecting the purchasing power of our customers.
“Our customers complain each time we increase the prices of the loaves of bread.
We increased the prices last month and we have no plan to do that again to avoid losing our customers.
In order to retain our customers, we have to bear whatever loss for now but we are suggesting that the federal government should reduce the price of fuel to enable every Nigerians that need the product buy without spending such exhorbitant amount, she said.
This is important because if things continue the way they are today, cost everything in the market would go up astronomically because the situation has negatively impacted in transportation, she added..
People now spend more than double the amount they used to spend on transportation just to go Onitsha and back to Asaba. You don’t expect them to sell their goods without first adding their cost of transportation, she said.
Subsidy or no subsidy, all we want is a reduction in the price of petrol, she posited.
Tochukwu Nweke, manager, Pricks Pharmacy, Asaba, narrated how they currently spend N3,000 daily to power their generator instead of N1,000 they used to spend.
“With the removal of fuel subsidy, we now spend alot in terms of energy. We have no choice than to increase the prices of drugs we sell and our customers are complaining bitterly.
If there are good reasons behind the removal of the subsidy, the president should maintain his position but if at last the removal would not favour Nigerians, he should reverse this policy and let the fuel subsidy continue.
