Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The strike action by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, has plunged Rivers State into severe fuel scarcity, with filling stations under lock and black marketers selling petrol at N1,800 per litre.
The situation has triggered a sharp spike in transportation costs across Port Harcourt and surrounding communities, leaving commuters stranded and struggling to cope with the rising fares.
At Rumuokoro, Rumuola, and Mile One motor parks, commercial drivers said they had no choice but to increase fares due to the high cost of black-market petrol.
A commercial taxi driver, who identified himself as Emmanuel, told SweetCrude Reports that a trip from Rumuola to Mile One Park, which previously cost N300, now goes for N500, while longer routes within the city have doubled or tripled in price.
“We are buying fuel at N1,800 per litre from black marketers. How do we survive if we don’t increase fares? Passengers are complaining, but we too are helpless,” Emmanuel said.
Confirming the strike action, PETROAN’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Joseph Obele, said compliance in Rivers State was total. “The strike is ongoing, and our members have locked up their outlets in solidarity with NUPENG. We are determined to press for fairness and healthy competition in the downstream sector,” Obele stated.
The scarcity has fueled long queues of desperate buyers around areas where black marketers operate openly, with many residents expressing concerns over safety and product quality.
For commuters, the impact is immediate and biting. “I have spent a lot of money on transport just today alone. This strike is punishing ordinary people who are just trying to survive,” said a frustrated commuter at Garrison.
Unless the Federal Government intervenes quickly, the crisis could paralyze economic activity in Rivers State, with ripple effects on small businesses, logistics, and households dependent on fuel-powered generators for electricity.
