Fuel scarcity: Travelers, motorists, others stranded in Osogbo

fuel scarcityTHE pains and anguish caused by acute scarcity of petrol in Osogbo, Osun State capital, increased on Saturday as only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station in the ancient city was selling fuel to motorists on a long queue.

Other petrol stations, owned by independent marketers were under lock and key as most people, travelling outside Osogbo, the capital of Osun State for the Christmas were stranded, with some of them waiting by roadside to get vehicles to their varied destinations.

Attendants at the NNPC mega station, located along the Ring Road area of Osogbo were dispensing fuel to motorists and commercial motorcyclists at the rate of N143 per litre, but the queues, which were in two lines were long and it caused traffic gridlock on the stretch of the dual carriage way.

But, operators in the black market, were making brisk business as 10 litres of jerry can was sold for N2,800.

Passengers, boarding commercial buses from Old Garage terminus to Lagos State, who hitherto paid N1,500 fare now pay as much as N3,500

Similarly, commercial car drivers plying Osogbo to Ibadan, charging N1,000, on Saturday increased the fare to N2,000.