Residents of Osun State are groaning following the increase in fuel pump price e as transportation farws within the state have skyrocketed.
In Osogbo, the state capital, intra commercial transport services popularly called Korope’ charge N200 per drop in short distances while Okada charges N300 or N400 depending on the distance .
Most filling stations visited on Wednesday have adjusted their prices to the new price to #617 per litre .
This is coming as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) announced the new price and consequently raised the price of PMS to N617 per litre on Tuesday.
Immediately after the news of the increment of fuel price broke, motorists in Osogbo, the state capital rushed to filling stations to fill up their vehicles before the implementation of the new price.
Meanwhile, long queues have resurfaced in filling stations like NIPCO and Matrix along the Gbongan-Ibadan road, as well as Habeeb filling station at Odi-Olowo, Osogbo and A.A. Rano located around Osogbo township stadium and many other petrol stations in the state
At the time of filing this report, filling stations at the Kola Balogun area of the state were under lock and key. It was not clear if they were having the product or waiting to adjust to the new price .
At Habeeb filling station, fuel was sold at N534, Matrix and NIPCO sold at N505, while A.A Rano sold at N520.
A commercial motoristswho identified himself as Tajudeen Adekola lamented that the current hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy is taking a worrisome dimension.
He said this was not what Nigerians were expecting from Tinubu as many are now saying Buhari government which many accused of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians seemed better from what the people have experienced so far in this new administration.
Adekola noted that even when the subsidy was first removed, majority of the commercial drivers could not afford the N500 price initially implemented.
His words: “Majority of them receive the increment in the pump price with shock and it has further worsened the hardship and suffering of many Nigerians.
“We do not expect more hardship than what we are currently experiencing .This is a government we believe should be better than the Buhari government, but its quite unfortunate to be seeing this kind of thing at the early stage of a new government “.
Also, Mrs Bukola Ayoola ,a Civil servant in the State described the fuel increase as wicked, insensitive and capable of killing innocent Nigerians if not quickly reversed.
She said ” How can a government that is supposed to give hope to the masses now be punishing them; Is this what Nigerians are expecting having come out from the worst adminstration of money scarcityT?Thisis unacceptable.”
Ayoola who said she had since abandoned her vehicle which she used to take her children to school and also heeself to her office feared that Nigerians may soon revolt if nothing urgent is done.
Meanwhile, Osun State chapter of the Committee or Human Rights has condemned the monthly N8,000 to 12 million families for six months palliative initiative of the government describing it as a scam
There was a mini protest by commercial drivers over the enforcement by intra-state commercial drivers of loading passengers from designated bus stops.
The move according to findings was to ensure strict compliance with the N200 per drop transportation fare within the state .
