Fuel scarcity continued to bite harder in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, making it difficult for residents to travel out for the Christmas celebrations.
The scarcity, which started early last week, worsened on the Christmas day, as most filling stations in the state capital did not even open for sales.
Out of about 20 filling stations that operate between Port Harcourt old Township and Waterlines along the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, only African Petroleum located by the side of the Peoples Democratic Party Secretariat in Port Harcourt, opened for business on Monday afternoon.
Attendants, who had been dispensing fuel to desperate motorists in the last two weeks at exorbitant rates, were not found on most of the roads.
The situation forced commercial motorists providing intra and intercity services to hike their fares.
For instance, a trip in a mini-bus from Port Harcourt to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, which usually goes for N500, was increased to N1000.
Port Harcourt to Aba, which used to cost N200, attracted N500 on Monday. Local transportation also witnessed a marginal increment. A drop by taxi cab, which normally goes for N300, went up to N500 while the commercial motor cycle operators jerked their prices to N60 per trip.
The development forced many families to postpone their trips to their home states and stay back in Port Harcourt.
As at Monday afternoon, many passengers were still stranded at the Port Harcourt Motor Park in Mile One.
The disappearance of fuel in major filling stations in the state is coming despite assurances by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Department of Petroleum Resources that they had made enough products available to the marketers.