…Price increase emerge due to landing cost – Marketers
Petroleum price at the weekend soared to N240 per litre at a few fuel stations that are dispensing in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
When newsmen moved round, majority of the fuel stations visited did not sell below N240 per litre and this, according to the marketers, was due to the landing cost of the essential commodity from various depots in Lagos.
Some anonymous marketers in separate interviews said the landing cost of petrol per litre has hit N230, this development they said compelled them not to sell below N240 per litre.
One of them said: “It is only an unwise businessman who would buy petrol at N230 per litre from the depot and would decide to sell below N240. It is actually not our joy to be selling petrol at N240 per litre particularly when Nigerians are going through untold hardships as a result of the dwindling economy of the country.”
A vehicle owner, Mr Temitope Adeyi,said: “It is quite sad that we found ourselves in this kind of precarious situation. Imagine buying a litre of petrol at N240, in fact, some of the fuel stations have adjusted their pump price on the dispensing machine to reflect the new price. I am sure you know what will become of this development in a couple of days, particularly when Christmas is approaching. Prices of foods of which have been on the high side would definitely go higher.
“This, will no doubt compound the woes of average Nigerians who are finding it extremely difficult to feed. The government should as a matter of urgency find a permanent solution to this problem of the high cost of fuel.”
Another motorist, Mr Sunday Francis, who was in the queue to get petrol said: “I am still surprised that we can still be witnessing this under a government which promised Nigerians that all will be well under its watch
“All I want to say is that the Federal Government should do everything within its reach to reduce the sufferings of Nigeria by seeing into this problem of the high cost of petrol because this is becoming unbearable.”