Lagos residents groan as fuel scarcity bites harder

Queues dotted petrol stations in many parts of Lagos, on Monday, as motorists battled to fuel their vehicles amidst scarcity of the product.

Commuters heading to various destinations were caught in the web, with fewer buses on the roads and some hiking fares.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent observed some students and their parents trekking early in the day after being unable to get buses on time.

A businessman, Mr Kingsley Udeh, told NAN that he had to resort to trekking a long distance to get to his shop.

“It is really frustrating this morning. As I got to my bus stop, I was surprised at the number of people I saw.

“It was also obvious that there were no buses because of the number of people I saw waiting.

“I waited for some time but resorted to trekking when I saw others moving forward. This fuel situation should be addressed, as the hardship is much,” he said.

A trader, Mrs Shade Agboola, said that leaving her house in the morning to take her children to school and make her way to Lagos Island was hectic.

“When I got to Gate this morning, the crowd I saw was alarming. After taking my children to school, I had to trek to Pako to board a bus going to Cele.

“The usual N200 fare we board from Pako to Cele now turned to N300.

“Also, I paid additional N100 to the N200 I normally pay to go to Aguda en route Lagos Island.

“Government should really help with this fuel situation,” she said

Mrs Maureen Uzochukwu, on her part, urged government to address the fuel situation in the country to reduce the pain and suffering of citizens.

According to Uzochukwu, people are paying too much in the country.

“There is food inflation, everything is high and people are becoming sick due to the situation in the country,” she said.

Mr Francis Obiechina, a resident, told NAN that he paid N800 to transport himself from Oshodi to Costain just to get to work.

“Ordinarily, I used to pay N600, now I pay additional N200. This means no lunch for me because I have spent more than my budget for today.

“Not only about the money paid, I had to also had to trek within my axis in Oshodi to cut cost, this in not healthy for us at all, ” he said.

The fuel queues have persisted despite the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) assurance that the logistics problem that caused the problem had been resolved.

Recall that Mr Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd, said on Thursday that the tightness in the supply of Premium Motor Spirit being experienced in some areas across the country was a result of logistics issues.

He said that the problem had been resolved.

Soneye reiterated that the prices of petroleum products were not changing. urging Nigerians to avoid panic buying.

He said that there was a sufficiency of products in the country.

NAN reports that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), had, however, said that the petrol situation could take at least two weeks to normalise.