Lagos Alive But No Petrol To Buy, Residents Groan Over High Prices

The city of Lagos, South West Nigeria roared back to life today after six days of total paralysis occasioned by the strike embarked upon by labour and civil society groups over the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC called off the strike yesterday, saying it was in the interest of teeming Nigerians.

In the past six days, Lagos had looked like a ghost town as activities were paralysed as protests and rallies took the centre stage.

Commercial activities roared back to life very early in the morning today in Lagos as workers, traders bus operators resumed for work, though petrol was scarce as most filling stations remained shut.

In every part of the metropolis, commercial activities have resumed fully, while commuter bus operators were fully in operation, and the usual traffic gridlock has returned in some parts of the metropolis.

In Agege, Abule Egba, Ikeja and other parts of the state, workers, traders and school children were scampering for the available buses to get to their business places and schools, while long queues were witnessed in Agege as commuters going to the Government Secretariat, Alausa and Berger had to queue up for the few available buses.

The markets were bubbling as traders have fully resumed their businesses. Many housewives have also thronged the markets to purchase essential commodities for their household.

Government offices were also opened and staff were seen chatting and discussing the strike and were happy to return to work after the strike.

P.M.NEWS correspondents who went round the state this morning confirmed that as early as 8am, banks in the state had been besieged by customers who have gone broke as a result of the strike.

Many of the customers who spoke with our correspondents recounted their experiences during the strike as they could not go out or even get money to use.

One of them, Sumonu Olu, said what saved his situation was that his family of a wife and four children had not returned from Oshogbo, Osun state, where they travelled to celebrate Christmas.

“It actually got to a stage where I had to depend on my neighbour for food. The ATMs were not dispensing money and there was nobody to even lend you money.

“It was shameful that someone else had to feed a family man like me, but there was nothing I could do since I did not want to die,” he said.

Unlike the speed with which filling stations adjusted the pump price of premium motor spirit immediately the removal of subsidy was announced on New Year day, they have become reluctant to sell at N97 per litre which President Goodluck Jonathan announced yesterday.

Most of the filling stations in the metropolis have remained shut after they sold at between N145 and N150 per litre yesterday.

Filling Stations like Oando, Mobil, Total, Texaco, AP, Conoil, Petrol Manager and several others in Agege, Abule Egba, Fagba, Ikorodu Road, Ogba, Egbeda, Iyana Ipaja, Ikeja, among others were shut, as marketers have refused to sell fuel at the new rate of N97 per litre.

Only the NNPC Mega Station at Abule Egba opened for business while a long queue was formed by motorists scampering to purchase the commodity.

The station was selling at the official price of N97 per litre.

Also, none of the about 10 filling stations located along Igando Road opened for business. P.M.NEWS learnt that eight of them sold fuel yesterday at N155 per litre even after the announcement.

Along Acme Road, only Funmec sold petrol this morning while others remained shut. It was also learnt that between Iyana-Ipaja and Ikeja, only Ascon had the product for sale and it witnessed long queues.

Only two out of the eight filling stations between Jibowu and Palmgrove sold fuel. The two are Total and Conoil at Onipanu.

A petrol attendant with Total filling station, who spoke with P.M.NEWS, said the management of the filling station instructed that the station should be shut till “the coast is clear.”

“We have fuel here, but without the order from above, there is no way we can open for customers. We also understand that a special task force and officials of the National Securities and Civil Defence Corps are visiting filling stations to make sure they adjust to the new price regime.”

He said they were asked to continue selling at N145 yesterday despite a statement by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency directing that filling stations should immediately adjust to N97 per litre.

“All suppliers are hereby advised to honour their Q4 2011 supplies, so that the nation does not go into supply shock.

“Machinery has already been put in place to ensure that products supplied are fully accounted for and appropriate subsidy worked out for such deliveries,” the PPPRA stated, assuring consumers of adequate supply.

Some other attendants who spoke to our correspondents, said they had exhausted what they had and were waiting for fresh consignment.

Despite the reduction in fuel price, it was learnt that cost of transportation within the state, which soared once the subsidy removal was announced, is yet to come down.

The drivers have maintained the high fares resulting in complaints by commuters most of whom were stranded at various bus stops this morning.

For instance, transport fare between Igando and Iyana-Ipaja which was increased from N80 to N150 remained the same as at this morning.

Fare from Iyana-Ipaja to Ikeja was N150, up from the N100 paid by commuters before. Sango to Oshodi has remained between N200 and N250 from the usual 150.

The prices of foodstuff have also remained high as visits to markets in the state have shown. Both the sellers and buyers have continued to groan that the new price of N97 per litre has not brought about a reduction, the prices of commodities in the country.

They also believe that labour may have sold out as they see no difference between the effect of the subsidy removal on commodities being sold and the new price regime by the government.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga, Eromosele Ebhomele, Sanusi Paul, Jamiu Yisa & Mayowa David