BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Petrol stations located in major towns in Osun State have yet to adjust to the new pump price announced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
The prices at the retail outlets of the NNPCL located in Abuja jumped from N537 to N617 per litre on Tuesday, sending shock waves around the country as, within minutes, other outlets around the country adjusted their prices.
But, checks by The Point in Osogbo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, among other towns in Osun on Wednesday morning, revealed that majority of petrol stations sold for N580 per litre.
Some of the marketers were said to have added between N30 and N50 to the old price of N537 immediately after the sudden hike in the product price on Tuesday afternoon.
Some managers of the petrol stations visited by our correspondent explained that they had yet to sell at the new price regime because they were still selling the old stock.
A manager at a station in Osogbo who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “We are selling at N580. We have not started selling at the pump price of N617 because we have not received the directive from our boss. But, I am sure when we purchase new stock, the price will change.”
Meanwhile, some transporters who are operators of shuttle buses popularly known as “Korope” refused to ply roads in Osogbo in protest over the new pump price.
Some of the union leaders of the drivers used their vehicles to block Olaiya road in bid to cause traffic snarl.
They forced their colleagues who were not willing to join the demonstration to park their vehicles.
However, security operatives were immediately drafted to the location to pave the way for road users and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
They lamented that they had not been making commensurate gains since the price of petrol had been rising.
According to the drivers, it is high time for bus stops transportation methods to be established in the state in order to reduce the distance they would be taking passengers.
They said having designated routes in Osogbo would afford them the opportunity to make more profits and also reduce the quantity of the petrol they would be consuming during operations.
Speaking in an interview during the peaceful demonstration at Olaiya, the Vice Chairman of the Association of Korope Drivers, Osogbo branch, Omodele Lateef, said they had been recording shortage, owing to incessant increment of petrol price.
He said, “The work we are doing is not paying off again. We want to make gains. We want to make routes, something like a bus stop whereby our drivers plying Olaiya to Ogo-Oluwa, Abeere road would maintain and then turn back after dropping their passengers without extending their movement further.
“Also, those going to Oke-Baale, Oja-Oba axis should do the same. Oke-Fia, Estate, Ido-Osun will do the same. With this method, the quantity of petrol we will use will decrease. We want to start this approach tomorrow (Thursday). Today is for awareness and that’s why we have decided not to work today.”