Residents of Iseyin area of Oyo State on Thursday bemoaned the persistent fuel scarcity in the town and its environs, and urged the Federal Government to tackle the issue .
In the same vein, motorists and other users of petrol in the Nigerian/Benin Republic border area in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State now buy the commodity for N300 per litre.
Majority of petrol stations in Iseyin had no stock, while the few that opened to motorists were also selling petrol above the official pump price.
They sell between N250 and N300.
Some residents said that the situation had become very difficult to bear.
Mr Bambi Ishola, an official of Iseyin local government council, suggested to government to convene a national stakeholders meeting to discuss the issue of fuel scarcity in the country.
Also, Mr Dele Onimole, a motorist, said it was important for government to ensure that owners of filling stations did not take advantage of the current situation to cheat innocent citizens.
Similarly, Jonathan Michael, another Iseyin resident, decried the current situation in the area, saying “ it is very difficult to cope under this condition.
“We have no public electricity supply and we can’t fuel our generators! Goods are also very expensive everywhere; I appeal to the government to please intervene.
“We can’t continue like this as a nation and as individuals; things must really change.’’
Also, there was no petrol at the independent filling stations in Kosubosu, Shiya, Yarin, Yashikira and Chikanda along Kwara border areas, thereby giving the black marketers leverage.
Mr Moses Kayode, a small scale businessman, said he was sad at the development because he could not afford to buy fuel to run his power generating set.
Kayode urged the authorities concerned to act in the interest of the public, particularly in the border areas, where he said that activities of fuel marketers were not always challenged.
According to him, the absence of major petroleum marketers like Total, NNPC, Conoil, etc, others in Kosubosu to check the monopoly of the independent marketers was of no benefit to residents of the area.
Kayode called on the government to always decentralize distribution of resources and development in the urban area to rural areas in the country.
Meanwhile, the fuel situation had adversely affected the transport fares hitherto charged for trips in the area.
The cost of transportation to Ilorin from Kosubosu, the local government headquarters, had increased to N2,000 from N1,500, while a trip from Kosubosu to Shaki in Oyo state now cost N1,000 from N700.
Some motorists in Lagos on Thursday decried the scarcity of petrol in most filling stations in the metropolis, saying it will affect those travelling for Easter holidays.
In anger, they appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure adequate supply of petrol to filling stations.
Mr Tunde Akinsola, a civil servant with the Lagos State Government, said that he had visited more than 20 filling stations in Lagos without getting the product.
Akinsola said that he opted to buy from the black market at N350 per litre when he could not get the product to buy at filling stations
“I left my house around 8.00 a.m. looking for petrol so that I can take my children out during Easter holidays.
“I have spent more than four hours looking for petrol from Oyingbo to Yaba to Onipanu and Fadeyi. There is no filling station selling petrol.
“But, I was forced to buy from the black market to ensure that I have petrol in my car,” he said.
Mr Tajudeen Irawo, a commercial driver, said that he had been on queue at the Mobil Filling Station in Orile since 8.00 a.m, but left four hours later because the queue was not moving.
Irawo said that scarcity of the product would affect his movement during Easter holidays.
Mrs Josephine Okoro, a residing in Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos, said that she had been on queue at the station since 10.00 a.m. on the assurance that she would get petrol because the queue was orderly.
Okoro commended the management of the filling station for maintaining orderliness while dispensing petrol.
In Abuja, massive queues have resurfaced in filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after few days of relief.
Most filling stations had queues which stretched over two kilometres.
Some of the petrol stations on the Kubwa Expressway which had long queues of vehicles waiting to buy fuel were AA Rano, NNPC Mega Station, MRS, Bulsalewa, Conoil and Mobil.
Other fuel stations in the Central Area with long queues were Mobil, Conoil, NNPC outlets, Forte Oil, Total, among others.
Mr Emeka Ifedikachi, express regret over the non-availability of petrol, saying it was unfortunate that government had yet to fix the problem of the supply of petroleum products.
“ I read in the papers that the problem will not end till May, which means all the things they have been saying to us were not true.
“I have to queue to fill up my tank because from tomorrow, I have many activities to mark the Easter holidays.
“It is obvious that many people will sleep and celebrate their Easter queuing to buy fuel,’’ he said
Another customer at the NNPC mega station, Mr Yusuf Ahmed, said that he had been on the queue for over an hour.
“I have been on queue since the last one hour but the good thing is that they are selling; I hope that I will buy soon.
“ I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to bring change to this sector, we are suffering,’’ he said.
Also, Margaret John, a Business woman expressed disappointment with government’s announcement that the problem would linger till May.
“So, we now have to create time for buying fuel in our cars, I have to close my shop every time I come to buy fuel and it is money that I am losing,’’ she said.
