How Fuel Shortage, High Transport Fare Mar Christmas Across Lagos

How Fuel Shortage, High Transport Fare Mar Christmas Across Lagos

 

 

• Transport Fare Along Some Lagos Routes

 

Apapa to Ojuelegba =N200 against former N100

Iju-Elliot to Agege = N200 against former N50/100

Ikeja to Maryland = N200 against former N50

Ikorodu to Epe=N1,200 against former N600

Iju-Ishaga to CMS = N600 against former N350

Abule Egba to Ile Epo market = N100 against former N50

Abule Egba to Command = N200 against former N100

Ajah to Epe = N800 against former N350

Lokowe/Awoyaya to Eleko junction = N400 against former N150

Bogije to Ibeju Lekki Secretariat = N150/N200 against former N50

Apapa to Ojuelegba = N200 against former N100

Apapa to CMS = N250 against former N150

Lagos – Ibadan = N5,000 against former N1,000

 

Nigerians have continued to lament how the acute fuel shortage in the country has dampened the yuletide mood nationwide.

National Wire found out within the Lagos metropolis how frustrated  residents and commuters were as they shared tales of woe, even on Christmas day, as transport fare has increased in many parts of the country to over 100 per cent.

Commuters have had to keep vigils at various filling stations to secure vantage positions ahead of when the fuel attendants decide to dispense at inflated rates beyond the official price.

According to a commuter, Adefuye Marian, who talked with National Wire at Ikorodu area of Lagos, “Ikorodu to Ketu which used to attract a fare of N100 is now N300 due to the non-availability of petrol.” The development has however had a  ripple effect on prices of goods and services.

Another commuter in Lekki, Lagos told National Wire how harrowing the experience has been in that axis of the metropolis. “Abraham Adesanya roundabout to Victoria Garden City (VGC), a distance fewer than two kilometers took three hours last Friday, with many people resorting to walking long distances,” a trader, Clement Obinna Maduforo, lamented.

Iju-Ishaga to Agege Pen Cinema is a straight drive through Iju Water Works Road. Normally, it is a distance of N50 by bus and N100 by tricycle but it now goes for N200 by tricycles and N150 by bus.

A commuter also narrated his ordeal to National Wire at Iju-Ishaga. “My name is Taiwo, I am a keke (tricycle) operator running Elliot to Ogba. Normally we charge N100 on this route but now, we have to hike it to N200 just to be able to survive. Getting fuel is not easy.You too can see it, it is not that we are happy with it at N200.”

Iju-Ishaga to CMS used to cost N350 but due to the fuel shortage, transporters now charge between N500 and N600. Abule Egba to Ile Epo market now goes for N100 as against the usual N50 while Abule Egba to Command now attracts N200 as against N100 by tricycles.

“Transporters on Ajah route now charge N800 to Epe as against the usual N350. Lokowe/Awoyaya to Eleko junction now goes for N400 instead of the normal N150. Bogije to Ibeju Lekki Secretariat now N150 as against former N50,” according to a commuter.

National Wire also gathered that the distance from Apapa to Ojuelegba now attracts N200 instead of the former N100 and Apapa to CMS now attracts N250 as against N150, as no filling station is seen dispensing fuel around the area.

As at Christmas eve, Ikeja to Maryland was N200 instead of N50, Ikeja to Yaba was N400 from N200 while fare for Ikorodu to Epe rose from N600 to N1200 and commuters now pay N5,000 to get to Ibadan from Ajah park,instead of the usual N1,000 from Berger park.

Meanwhile, filling stations in the metropolis have been accused of hoarding the product. Commuters,however,keep long lines to ensure they get petrol. Publisher of Church Times newspaper, Gbenga Osinaike narrated his ordeal at the filling station via his facebook page.

“I had underestimated the situation of the fuel scarcity. I had thought it would not take long for me to get fuel. I was right at the filling station by Obasanjo Farms at Otta , the time was 6am. The line was as long as a kilometer from the station which has eight pumps but only two pumps were selling, I was there till 4pm and still couldn’t get fuel,” Osinaike lamented.

Nigerians are, however,hopeful that things would return to normal before the new year, following the pronouncement by the government that it will now pay a subsidy of N40 per litre on fuel import.

Majority still groan under the burden caused by the acute fuel scarcity as at press time.

 

*Additional reports from: Tayo Olanipekun, Friday Ekeoba, Folake Sokoya, Abiodun Omotosho, Ayobami Ayodele