Residents of Akure, the Ondo state capital on Saturday, groaned as the queuing at the filing stations for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) persisted in the state, with many of the filling stations at the state capital and other cities not open for business.
Many of the fuel stations are under lock and key while the few ones who are selling the product were filled up with queues of vehicles causing traffic gridlock on the road.
Sunday Tribune correspondent noticed that most of the fuel stations selling fuel to the public were owned by independent marketers, while all the major marketers were not selling the product.
However, some independent marketers who opened for business selling petrol between N285 and N300.
In GOMSAV at Oba Ile, where the PMS is being sold at N295, motorists were seen in a queue while the petrol station was blocked by Okada riders and vehicles.
A commercial driver in the town, Mr. Ayodeji Kehinde said commercial drivers had been now experiencing hard times in getting the product for their use for the past few weeks in the town.
He described the development as a serious setback to the country’s dwindling and fragile economy.
“I have been here since 8.00 am and I am yet to get petrol. This hardship is becoming unbearable. Our government should do the needful. Or is this the change we voted for?” queried
Another commercial driver, James Adewale,
said he had spent over three hours at the fuel station and still waiting for the product to buy at one of the filling stations of major marketers in Akure.
” I have been on queue for over three hours before I bought petrol this morning. The government should help us look into this matter before it grounds the whole country,”
At Oda road, no petrol station was open for business and the road was deserted while commercial motorcycle operators charged exorbitant prices.
Some motorists who spoke with our correspondent lamented over the scarcity expressing the fear that the situation will add to the economic hardship being experienced by the people of the state.
An attendant who spoke with our reporter explained that there was no fuel and there was panic buying by residents in some of the stations that are open for business.
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He said, ” We sell between N280 and N300 and people keep buying as many of the filling stations did not open. The situation is more tensed if you go to Shasha, they are selling above N300 at the black market”
