Kunle Adelabu
-Fuel now sells at N200, N350, N400
Residents of Ikorodu are lamenting what they called exorbitant prices of fuel following the announcement by President Bola Tinubu, during his inaugural address on Monday, that there is no more subsidy again for fuel.
They also rejected the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) upward adjustment of the pump price of petrol by nearly 200% to between N488 and N557, nationwide.
Aside the scarcity which is being experienced in various parts of Ikorodu, transportation fares have also gone up as motorists and other operators in the transport sector, are complainng of buying fuel at high prices.
Our reporter who, again, went to town on Wednesday, to ascertain the situation, and found out that prices of fuel varied from N400, N350 and N200.
Mr John, a motorcycle rider, speaking with THE IMPACT, lamented that it was extremely difficult for him to get fuel to operate and that when he eventually got, it was at high price.
“I just got fuel to buy today at Mobil in Ebute at N200, after many hours of waiting. I have been searching for fuel for two days and it has been very difficult getting any until today”, he said.
“This is not good at all and not what we bargained for. We never expected to face something like this, a day into a new administration, but unfortunately, we are in it”.
He vehemently opposed the increase of the price of the product, announced by the NNPC.
“It is not acceptable to Nigerians at all. We cannot be buying fuel at such a high rate. How do they expect us to survive?”, he asked rhetorically, when asked about the NNPC’s decision.
A tricycle operator, who operates between Ebute and Oreyo, Igbogbo, also lamented the unfortunate situation. He said that it took him several hours to get fuel and he did not only get at a high rate, but was also allegedly cheated by the attendant at the filling station.
“After searching everywhere, I eventually got fuel to buy at Bond for N400, but what they sold for me is not near what I paid for. We cannot continue like this in this country where common man cannot live and take care of his family”, he said.
Also commenting on the NNPC’s increase of fuel prices, the tricycle operator said:
“We cannot be buying fuel at N400 in a country that produces oil for export. The government has to do something quickluly to bring sanity into the system before people are pushed to the wall and become angry”, he said.
“Some of my colleagues bought fuel at N350 at Conoil and they also have to give extra N50 to the petrol attendants. Is this fair”, he added.
Mrs Toyin Adeshina, who lives in Igbogbo, but usually takes her child to school in Ebute, before going to her work at Olu Odo, spoke with THE IMPACT, calling for quick intervention by the government.
“It has been a sad experience in the last two days. We don’t usually get Marwa (tricycle) in good time due to the scarcity, and when they come, they have added N50 and N100 to the fare. Because of the situation, I now get my child late to her school, while I also get late to my own office”, she said.
“President Tinubu should, please, intervene and resolve this problem quickly because we cannot bear this situation for long. Many households are already impoverished because of the economic challenges and with this, it’s not fair at all”, she lamented.
Meanwhile, there has been a hike in transport fares within the town as the trip by tricycle from Igbogbo to Ebute, which was N100 during the day, is now N150 and okada which used to carry people along same route at N100 or N200 before, is now N300 and N400.
Okada from Igbogbo to the Ikorodu garage roundabout that used to be N300 is now between N500 to N700
Also, a trip to Ebute to lkorodu garage by tricycle, which used to be N100, is now N150.
