Some residents of Badagry, Lagos were stranded on Tuesday as most commercial vehicles plying the area were off the road due to scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who monitored the situation, reports that many workers and businessmen were sighted waiting endlessly at some bus stops due to unavailability of vehicles.
NAN further reports that the situation led to hike in transport fare as a litre of petrol in the area now sells as high as N1,000, while fare rose from N800 to N1, 500 from Badagry to Mile 2.
At some popular bus stations in Badagry – Aradagun, Mowo and Agemowo, scores of residents were seen struggling to enter a few available taxis and commercial buses.
Mr Johnson Afilaka, a Badagry resident, said he could not go to work on Monday due to increase in transport fare from Badagry to Mile 2.
“Today, we have queued up for buses, but none has come. A few taxis that came raised their fares so high.
“Government should come to our aid in Badagry by providing some of the Lagos BRT buses for us here,” he said.
Mrs Christiana Adigun, a staff of the National Population Commission (NPC), said she could not drive to her office due to difficulty in getting petrol for her car.
She said that in spite of the fact that she was willing to buy a litre at N1,000, it was difficult to get the product, adding that getting a commercial vehicle to her office also posed another challenge.
On sales of petrol in Badagry, NAN reports that only the NNPC fuel station at Aradagun and Mobil fuel station in Badagry were selling at official prices of N568 and N610 respectively.
However, other independent marketers with fuel stations were selling between N950 and N1,000 per litre.
Mr Friday Ajasa, a motorist, said his car had been on the queue at NNPC Aradagun since 7.00.a.m, adding that as at 12.00.noon, he was yet to get the product.
“When we blame government for the scarcity, we should as well blame petrol marketers in Badagry for the hike because they are not helping the situation.
“Some of the cars on queue at the fuel stations in Badagry belong to cross- border illegal petrol dealers who usually take the product to Benin Republic to re-sell.
“Most of the major marketers here prefer to sell to them rather than sell to residents and this is the height of unpatriotic conduct.
“When these people enter, they buy up to 350 litres of petrol inside one car, and for us who just wanted 15 litres in our vehicles, they will tell you that petrol has finished,” he said.
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Mrs Funke Alabi, a motorist on queue at Mobil filling station, called on security agents to check excesses of petrol pump attendants in the area.
Explaining the reason for petrol scarcity, Alhaji Abdul-Ganiyu Adelani, the Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers, Badagry, blamed the scarcity on lack of product at NNPC tank farm.
Adelani urged the NNPC to make available more petrol in their tank farms so that all filling stations in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria would get enough supply. (NAN)
