Fuel scarcity: Commercial bus operators hike fares in Lagos

Commercial bus operators on Monday, hiked their fares on various routes in Lagos State due to fresh scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called Petrol.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation observed that the fares were increased between N100 to N200 per cent depending on the route.

Some of the areas monitored such as: Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda, Alimosho, Oshodi, Agege, Abule-Egba, Obalende, witnessed buses carrying passengers from Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi for N800 against earlier N400 against while bus fares from Iyana-Ipaja to Ikeja increased from N300 to N600.

Similarly, commuters going from Ikotun to Egbeda were charged N400 instead of the usual N200, while passengers from Ikeja to Agege had to pay N600 instead of N300.

Also, the bus fare from Ketu to Oshodi went up from N500 to N900, leaving many passengers frustrated and stranded especially with the few available buses on the road.

According to a commuter, Ifeanyi Uchai, scarcity and the resultant increment had doubled his daily transportation expenses as well as cost fueling generating set for his business.

Uchai lamented: ”I am spending double of the amount I normally spend on transport and fueling my generating set for bar business. With the way Nigeria’s economy is going, it will soon collapse totally.

“I am appealing to the government to intervene quickly to ensure that there is fuel everywhere at an affordable price to reduce this suffering.

Also, a trader, Kunle Adefolayan, said he normally paid N1,000 from Isheri, Egbe Idumu area of Alimosho to Alsusa Secretariat, Ikeja but due to transport hike the fare had increased to almost N1,500 on Monday.

Meanwhile, some filling stations belonging to Independent marketers visited around Alimosho and Ikeja, were seen dispensing petrol between N700, and N740 per litre to motorists, while most filling stations were shut including NNPC stations.