* How Capital Oil boss, Ifeanyi Ubah broke their ranks
By Ikenna Asomba
 |
| Nigerians struggling for fuel. When will this end? |
Following
the refusal by oil marketers and depot operators to import and
distribute petroleum products over the purported N200 billion unpaid
subsidy claims, the sufferings of Lagos commuters worsened on Monday.
The suffering got to its head even as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN downed tools over inability of oil marketers to pay them their emolument.
As
the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS (petrol) was steeply
hiked especially in Lagos to an all-time high of N500/litre,
Lagosians who had left home to their various business and work places
were stranded, leaving others to trek long distances. This is even
many others groaned under the ballooned prices of bus fares.
Shockingly,
Lagosians who saw a considerable bus fares last Friday, woke up on
Monday to witness a mad hike in their fares.
NIGERIANCOMPATRIOT went round the town to confirm the prices of bus fares on Monday. This is what we got.
Destination Old
Fare (N) Monday's
Fare (N)
Iyana
Iba-Mile 2 100 500
Mile
2-Bolade Oshodi 100 200
Ajah-Oshodi - 1, 500
VI-Oshodi
- 1, 000
Oshodi-Tollgate
(Sango) 100 150
Oshodi-Iyana
Ipaja 50 100
Ikotun-Iyana
Ipaja 100 200
Isolo-Ikotun 50 200
Boundary-Mile
2 70 150
Boundary-Oregie 50 100
Boundary-Alaba
Suru 50 100
This
sky-rocketed prices varied from area to area. This is even as
commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders were also
seen having a field day, as they jerked their prices to an all-time
high.
For instance, a bike fare from Cele Bus/stop to Ikotun Egbe Bus/stop which ordinarily goes for N400 went to an all-time high of N2, 000.
However, on Monday, after a meeting with the Senate, major companies and unions that distribute petroleum products across Nigeria agreed to end their devastating fuel strike that has largely shut down Africa’s biggest economy.
Keen observers said that their ranks may have been broken by an earlier move by the Managing Director/CEO, Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah, who in a statement on Sunday night, said it was releasing about 13 million litres, approximately 400 trucks of petroleum products including PMS.
This, he said was to ease the scourge of the endemic fuel scarcity, adding that additional 53 million litres will also be released in a few days, making a total of 70 million litres.
Meanwhile, whether this latest move by the major companies and unions that distribute petroleum products across Nigeria will usher in an end in sight to this debilitating fuel crisis in Nigeria will be seen in the days ahead.
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