Fuel Scarcity Hits Ondo, Motorists and Commuters Suffer

Transporters in Akure have hiked their fares, adding to the burden of commuters. On Monday morning, most fuel stations remained shut, citing the lack of petrol. However, a few stations in areas like Ondo Road, Igbakara Oke, Oke Aro, and Ijoka were selling fuel at exorbitant prices between N800 and N1,000 per liter.

The fuel scarcity crisis has spread to Akure, the capital of Ondo State, causing widespread frustration among motorists and commuters. Long queues at filling stations have become a common sight, with many stations closed due to the unavailability of petrol.

Transporters in Akure have hiked their fares, adding to the burden of commuters. On Monday morning, most fuel stations remained shut, citing the lack of petrol. However, a few stations in areas like Ondo Road, Igbakara Oke, Oke Aro, and Ijoka were selling fuel at exorbitant prices between N800 and N1,000 per liter. Some desperate motorists resorted to buying from the black market.

Adekunle Ayeni, a driver who plies the Akure-Ikare Akoko route, expressed his frustration, saying, "None of the gas stations opened for business. I'm aware it's deliberate because they have the product but are awaiting either a fall in price or an increment. I have no choice but to buy from the ones selling at a higher price of N800 to fuel my vehicle. Our government needs to do something urgent to fix this. We are suffering."

A filling station manager revealed that some petrol marketers were not offloading petrol due to a likely fall in petroleum product prices. He said, "I hope this doesn't extend beyond the coming weeks because people are already boiling over the situation. We have to shut our doors because what we have in stock is just too small for us to dispense. And we haven't gone to re-stock."

Shina Amoo, the chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ore depot in Ondo, attributed the scarcity to the lack of fuel supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). He said IPMAN members were forced to buy from third parties at higher prices, resulting in low or non-profit margins. "So, if we're not getting the product from NNPCL, then how do we sell? It's that bad for us, and I hope this will be addressed soon."

The fuel scarcity has caused immense hardship for motorists and commuters in Ondo, and urgent action is needed from the government to address the situation.

Related Posts: