Commuters Stranded, As Fuel Scarcity Hits Ibadan
Many commuters were, on Thursday, stranded at various bus stops as fuel scarcity worsened in Ibadan, Oyo State.
As the scarcity bites harder, the commuters have to resort to trekking to their various destinations after a long wait at the bus stops for buses that are apparently on queue for fuel.
Also, some of the commercial bus operators who operate various routes in the state capital have arbitrarily increased their transport fare by 100 per cent.
There were long queues at filling stations visited in Ibadan metropolis.
Our correspondent, who moved round the city discovered that many filling stations were selling between N160 and N170 per litre, with only few selling between N145 and N150.
While many filling stations refused to sell, a few that did sold above the pump price.
Scarcity of fuel during festive periods seems to have become a tradition in the country, as commercial drivers and private car owners have to queue for hours at gas stations for fuel.
Although some of the marketer declined comment on the development, one of them who spoke on condition of anonymity said “we sell what we buy”.
This development has led to the emergence of black marketers who sell four liters of fuel for N800 on average.
Inter- state commuters were not spared from the agony of the fuel scarcity as some of them travelling for the yuletide have to pay more to get to their destinations.
Although the PENGASSAN have suspended their strike with the Federal Government promising that the scarcity will end by Saturday, there seems to be no end in sight soon.
