Fuel subsidy: Osun residents groan as price of PMS soars

With the disturbing news that fuel queue have resurfaced again in Osun State, MyNigeria went to town on Wednesday to feel the pulse of the people.

It was gathered that majority of the fuel stations in Osun started experiencing long queues later in the evening of Tuesday.

Even with the warning of the state government against hoarding of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and maintaining that the task force PMS is still in force and was ready to punish any act of economic sabotage.





Some fuel stations, it was gathered sold fuel from N350 upwards.

Seeking the views of residents, many expressed frustration that the subsidy regime suspension is starting to take its toll on the masses.

A commercial transporter, Wasiu Akintunde, revealed that he had no choice but to join his colleagues in the queue to buy petrol for his vehicle.

“Most of my colleagues are in queues at filling stations where they would get the commodity at the official price before it eventually goes up.

“All we ask for is respite whenever fuel subsidy is removed. We do not want more hardship than what we are currently experiencing,” he said.

Steven Adeleke said he was in haste to get petrol for his vehicle to beat the expected increase in the pump price.





“It is going to increase. When it does, at least I will have some quantity available for use before I start to feel the impact negative or positive,” he said.

Another customer, Jamiu Mohammed, said most of the fuel stations he visited, he observed off-and-on the selling of petrol.

“I noticed that they will sell fuel, and after a while, they we’ll stop and await further instructions from their bosses.

“Customers were just going from one fuel station to the other looking for the product and this is what led to panic buying among the buyers,” he said.

Most filing stations like Adolak, Matrix, Mrs, had long queues.

MyNigeria learnt that immediately the subsidy was announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inauguration speech, Petroleum marketers in Osun State on their platform agreed to temporarily hold on to their products and withdraw their devices for sometimes.

Tinubu had argued that his reason for axing the regime is that it is no longer sustainable in Nigeria at this time.

Later on Wednesday, the fuel stations owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) sold fuel for N500 per litre but BOVAS retained the old pump price of N195 across the state.

Vehicle owners could be observed frantically scrambling for available spaces at some fuel stations as they engaged in panic buying.

Security agencies too had a busy day as some petrol stations were sealed and marketers arrested.



FI