Transporters and commuters have continued to lament the scarcity of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as fuel, as the increase in fuel price has left transporters with no choice but to hike their fares to various destinations.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) had on Tuesday announced the increase in the price of fuel from between N568 and N617 per litre to between N855 and N897 per litre.

Despite the increment, some filling stations remain shut while others still operating have long queues of vehicles blocking the road, with the product selling between N900 and N1,p500 across the country..

In Lagos state, commercial vehicle drivers increased their fares in order not to incur losses that could have been caused by the fuel price hike.

Checks by Peoples Gazette on Friday revealed that a bus fare from Agbado-Ijaiye to Oshodi rose from N600 to N1,000; Agege to Ikeja rose from N200 to N400; while Ikeja to Ishaga went from N600 to N800.

At Oshodi, a bus fare to Ajah was N1,500, up from N1,000; a long bus to Eko Idumota rose from N500 to N700; while a bus to Obalende was hiked from N800 to N1,000.

A commuter at Oshodi, Tolani Ayeni, told The Gazette that transportation costs have eaten up most of her sales, as she finds it difficult to restock some of her sold goods.

“It’s too bad. I will be selling market but my gains are now going into taking motor, and you still have to cater for wife and children. Hope you know school just resumed? School fees are there,” he lamented.

A Keke NAPEP rider in Agege, Bello Moshood, who said he had, before today, spent two days unable to fuel his tricycle, lamented low patronage despite many commuters being at the bus stops but unable to afford the hiked fares.

He said, “On Tuesday and Wednesday, all the filling stations around my house were not selling. The only one that was selling fuel didn’t reach my turn before it finished. I later went to buy black market, which is more costly.

“See as passengers plenty at the bus stop but they refuse to enter because we increased transport fare. It’s not our fault; they don’t know what we go through to get the fuel, they don’t even want to know how much we bought it for. It’s not our fault; we don’t have a choice. Nobody does business and wants to make losses,” he stated.

However, the minister of state for petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, after a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday, assured Nigerians that petrol will be available by the weekend.

“What is important is that products are available in the country, and we believe that between now and the weekend, there will be availability of products across the length and breadth of the country,” Mr Lokpobiri said