Patience Leonard, PBA Journalism MenteeThe biting fuel scarcity in Lagos has created tension at various locations, forcing change of lifestyle among residents due to high cost of transportation.
The scarcity has caused increase in price of fuel in the few available retail outlets across the state.
Recall that the government threatened to revoke license of private firms that hike fuel price beyond the agreed N165 per litre. Meanwhile, Prime Business Africa (PBA) reported that NNPC retail stations raised their fuel pump by N10 on Sunday, with motorists and individuals buying a litre at N175, above the control price.
READ ALSO: NNPC Increases Fuel Price In Own Filling Stations Amid Scarcity In Other Private Stations
As a result of the increase, transport operators have resorted to hiking the price of their services.
Lamenting on the sudden hike of transport fare, a nursing mother, Mrs Chioma Akochi on her way to clinic, for her child’s immunization said that the normal price from Imalete to Aiyeteju, which used to be N50 is now N150, double of the price. These two towns are under Ibeju-lekki Local Government Area.
Commenting on the effect on lifestyle, Amaka Offor lamented that she treks long distance before she gets a commercial vehicle to her destination due to large number of people stranded on the road with a few number of vehicles.
The 9-5 worker lamented about the increase in amount she now spends on transport everyday there is no increase in her monthly earning.
Also, a young man who works in Ikeja said he boards vehicle with an extra money so as to avoid embarrassment because the fares change everyday.
Another Lagos worker, Alabi Akin said he spends nothing less than N2,200 daily from the Island of Lagos to the mainland. He identified his residence as Bogije in Ibeju-lekki, while he works at Isolo, Lagos.
Within Ejigbo, Prime Business Africa observed that many fuel stations sell Premium Motor Spirit for an increased price of N180, N190 and N200 as against N165 price. This resulted in N15 to N35 increase.
According to a motorist, Mr Kenneth Agumadu who ply Airport Junction, Isolo to Redeem Road, said “It’s been tough because the increase in fuel price is gradually becoming a norm. The challenges most drivers face is the question of where do I get fuel? At what price? You don’t even know”.
He added that another issue is the metering devices of different petrol stations which he claimed were altered by many outlets to cheat their customers, when dispensing fuel to them. Agumadu said, “Most stations’ metering devices are not standard, and they equally sell within the range of N180- N200.”
He decried the time wasted in order to get fuel due to the scarcity, the outrageous price from some stations coupled with the fact that many of them also compromise their metering pumps.
He, however, disclosed that a N50 increment is enforced only when traffic gridlock is high and when there is rainfall that obstructs them from plying their normal route which are bad.
Prime Business Africa also gathered that some motorists who rely on diesel for their buses have stopped operating. Reason being that, notwithstanding the high cost of diesel, they many times return empty after drops. In the mornings, motorists load from bustops with higher concentration of passengers (workers/traders) to a particular destination, only to go back empty and load another round and after this, at times stay idle till evenings to load from the previous destination back to base.
Another motorist that plies Airport road/Oshodi to Gbagada who identified himself as IK said a different thing. He claimed that the hike is not found in every filling station, stating that he patronizes Mobil stations and another private outlet, Eternal filling station. He specifically stated that the Mobil at Airport Road and Eternal at Charity bus stop.
The motorist stressed that the traffic jam witnessed on his route grows worse whenever there’s heavy downpour but maintained that his charges and profits remains the same however.
A taxi man who wants his identity undisclosed said the citizens are suffering due to poor governance. When asked about what he has for the government, he jolted and queried “Which government? Do we have a government in Nigeria? Is this what you call a government? I don’t have a government because they have no listening ears,” the taxi man retorted.
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