Yuletide: Passengers stranded as fuel scarcity hits Delta major cities

From Osakhare Erese Asaba

An unprecedented fuel scarcity has hit major cities in Delta State, leaving thousands of Xmas/New year holidays’ makers stranded at various motor parks.
Expectedly various motor parks in Agbor, Asaba, Ibusa, Ughelli, Okpanam, and its environs, passengers were observed practically disillusioned, and full of regrets, particularly as they blamed the situation on the alleged failure of the Nation’s leadership, and the ruling party.
But despite the suspension of strike by PENGASSAN, most petrol stations in Asaba, Ibusa, Ughelli, Okpanam, Agbor, and its environs which were under lock and key at the wake of the strike action, were still not dispensing fuel to motorists including private business owners who use often generating sets.
This situation, investigation revealed, has created palpable tension and fear of the unknown within the affected areas as the struggle to get fuel at Rain oil Petrol Stations selling had been difficult task.
Following this development, most motorists, it was learnt, had withdrew their vehicles from the road, thereby forcing their few available ones to jerk up their fare.
Miss Rosemary Ogbu, a business girl who hails from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, said she had been making attempts to travel from Asaba to no avail as the fare to Ebonyi through Onitsha had embarrassingly increased.
Mr. Felix Ebiewa, a leader at the summit motor park in Asaba told our reporter, “we too as park officials are shocked, there is no fuel increase commuters are facing hell, we don’t know what is going on, it is really a pit that the leadership of the present government had failed”.
Osaretin Obazelu, is a businessman based in Asaba told our reporter: “I had wanted to travel to Benin City, Edo State, the fare had been hiked, from N800.00 to N2, 500, I can’t travel, the situation is very bad, and we want President Buhari to intervene”.
For instance, from Asaba to Ogbolu which used to be N100,00 and N150, 00 is N300, 00 while Illah range between N500, 00 to N800, 00 while passengers traveling to Ibusa, Illah, Ogbolu, others are seen in crowd often at the Asaba-Ibusa Junction shouting themselves down with muscles contest.
In Agbor and its environs, reports indicated that commuters are subjected to pay between N800, 00 and N1, 000,00 from Asaba to Agbor and Onitsha which used to be N150, 00 and N200, 00. Speaking on the situation, some of the stranded passengers bemoaned the situation, and blamed it on what they described as uncontrollable greed by the larger sections of the society.
But the state chairman of the Union in the state, Mr. Ifeanyi Ossai denied increasing fare, saying that the like in fare was informed by the celebration periods, assuring that ways were being worked out that will reduce tension among commuters.