As against several appeals to Nigerians that the federal government has no plans to increase pump price of petroleum motor spirit (PMS) in the country, many independent fuel marketers in Ekiti state from Wednesday adjusted their pump to prices ranging between N150 per litre to N165 per litre, above the supposed official maximum price of N145 per litre.
Motoring World’s investigation revealed that first petrol station to tamper with its petrol pump is known as Best Options located close to Ado Grammar School on the right hand side towards Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti. Owner of the station boldly adjusted its pump price to N160 per litre.
Most queuing customers, including motorists and jerry can owners, Motoring World discovered, were unaware of the increase. Due to the pressure they had been going through as a result of the scarcity caused by the same marketers, who had been hording fuel for more than a week, they simply bought fuel without paying attention to the pump price.
Driving out of First Option Filling station after buying N8000 worth of fuel in her car and a jerry can, a female motorist named Toyosi expressed a surprise, when asked by Motoring World Correspondent if she was aware she had just bought fuel at N160 per litre.
“You must be joking!” she exclaimed. Adding, “I didn’t look at the price. Well, do you blame them? What is DPR doing, if truly the federal government is not being deceptive about fuel price increase? “
While as at Thursday, most filling stations in Ekiti State capital were yet to open to customers, all independent marketers selling fuel had already adjusted up their pump price. Also along federal polytechnic Road is Tunde FBD Oil Limited with pump price already adjusted to N155 per litre.
However, while Mobil and all NNPC filling stations refused to sell to the public, Total Filling station located close to Fayose market was seen selling at N145 per litre. However, while the station sold to jerry can owners, big or small, most of whom afterwards resell to motoring public, they refused to sell into jerry can for motorists.
Motoring World Search revealed that as at Thursday, fuel hawkers had appeared once again at various locations in Ado-Ekiti, selling 5-litre of petrol at the rate of N1500 t0 N2500.
Efforts made to get across to Dorothy Bassey, DPR’s HEAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS UNIT (PAU) on her Mobile number: +234(0)805 609 9175, returned no response, as the number was said to be out of coverage.
