Motorists and commuters are having a hard time as gridlock caused by fuel queues hinder free vehicular movement in Ibadan.

Sanni Olatunde, an employee of a private company, said no one could explain the cause of the fuel scarcity.

He said the situation had been a source of concern as every aspect of work life had been affected.

“Fuel stations sell at different prices per litre of petrol, and there is no regulator to enforce the official rate of N165 per litre. We are fed up because we have to queue for a long time to get petrol,’’ Mr Olatunde said.

Opeyemi Oyewole, a doctoral student at the University of Ibadan, said the scarcity had affected fares and further worsened individuals’ already bad economic situation.

“The amount of money I spend on transportation has increased by 50 per cent,” she said. “It is also difficult to get commercial vehicles to one’s destination as most of them are either stuck in fuel stations or looking for fuel elsewhere.”

Also, Sola Famakinwa, another resident, said the situation was getting worse by the day and wondered why the government was not saying anything.

Chris Mimiola, a civil servant, said he had been at a fuel station for four hours without the hope of getting fuel.

“There is no electricity. Petrol that people use to power their generators is also getting out of reach. We need a speedy response from the government,’’ Mr Mimiola said.

Most fuel stations in Ibadan sell a litre of petrol between N180 and N250. 

(NAN)