Residents of Naze, Nekede and Ihiagwa areas especially low income earners, have lamented over the excruciating suffering and hunger which they said are being caused by high cost of goods (commodities) and services particularly food stuffs, diesel, kerosene and fuel among others.
One of the residents, Okechukwu Onwukwe, who stays at Umudibia Nekede Owerri, told News Echo on Tuesday that the suffering and hunger experienced by ordinary people have been increased by the scarcity of petrol, cooking gas, kerosene which was said to have emanated from the three days strike action by the association of Petroleum Independent Marketers of Imo State which demanded fair treatment of their members by government.
According to Onwukwe, “before the three days strike action by independent oil marketers of Imo State, oil was being sold higher at the detriment of the people. For example, a kilogram of cooking gas costs #600, but on Monday and Tuesday a litre of fuel was sold at #800, #700, #600, #500 and #400 atleast. Gas was sold at #800 per kilogram, kerosene and diesel were also sold higher. This ugly experience caused increment on transport fare, food stuffs among others. Many trekked home, many did not open for market, many students could not go to school, just as some poorly paid civil servants borrowed money to go to work to avoid sack. Imo people are really suffering. When will hunger and hardship end in Imo”, he questioned.
Another resident, Chibuzo Christian, who lives at Naze Owerri, expressed bitterness about the way things go in the state. He frowned that the people were really suffering despite huge resources in Imo State, as he blamed government for not doing the right thing that will benefit all citizens.
Chibuzo regretted that “the people’s resources should be used to meet their welfare and well-being. Not few individuals grabbing everything for themselves and their tiny families at the expense of the larger society who even produce wealth of the state”.
He regretted that it was a shame that residents of Imo State went to neighboring States of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi Enugu and Rivers, Umuahia to buy oil, cooking gas, diesel, kerosene and petrol at official price and resold them in higher cost in Imo State. They called on Imo State government to use their resources to install working infrastructure such as electricity and road, create job opportunities and pay workers and pensioners to enable citizens live well.
