Resident of Rivers State, yesterday, lamented the resurgence of long queues at fuel stations across the state.
The Guardian observed that between Saturday and Monday, February 19, many motorists queued for fuel while most mega service stations, like NNPC and Oando, were closed.
Only a few independent marketers sold petrol between N700 and N750 per litre. Despite a hike in the price of the product, The Guardian noticed long queues at various stations, even as consumers expressed fear of a looming scarcity.
A taxi driver, who plies Rumuokoro to Choba, said he bought petrol for N700 per litre at Whiz filling station, near Rumosi Junction, in Obio/Akpor Local Council. He lamented that last week, a litre of petrol was sold for N650.
He said: “The price of petrol has increased to over N700 here. But we are yet to hike fares. We are still collecting N300 as fare because if we suddenly hike fares, we may not get passengers. A lot of people have resorted to trekking long distances due to the hard times.
“The entire situation is exhausting and annoying. We are no longer measuring up with our expenses due to the steady rise in the price of fuel. At the end of business, we cannot buy food, pay children’s school fees or house rent.
“The current situation facing us in this country is leading many people into depression and sudden death. I have decided to park my car and rest because we are just wasting time on the road.”
Also, Friday Akpan, a commercial bus driver plying Mile One to Rumuokoro, said bus drivers are considering hiking fares if the scarcity and price increase continues.
Last year, the fare between Mile One and Rumuokoro (by bus) was N200. Early this year, it jumped to N300, while some vehicles collected N400 for the same distance.
A commuter, Idris Felicia, said the current situation in the country is worse than what obtained during the COVID-19 pandemic era. She lamented that many Nigerians are depressed, dying of hunger, and doubting if there are leaders in the country.
As at press time, the chairman, Rivers State Chapter of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Joseph Obele, had yet to respond to enquiries on the issue.
