Fuel price reduction: Commercial drivers in Ibadan express relief

Some commercial motorists in Ibadan have heaved a sigh of relief at the reduction of the pump price of petrol.

However, speaking with our reporter on Thursday, the motorists asked for a more significant reduction to increase their purchasing power.

A commercial motorcyclist, Ismaili Olamilekan, said the price drop is about N100 per litre.

“While some filling stations are still selling between N930 and N950 per litre, others are selling between N870 and N890.

“I usually buy fuel where it is cheaper, but we pray that it will be sold between N400 and N500 per litre. This is what we are praying for.

“Before the reduction, if I buy N1,500 worth of fuel, it doesn’t serve me well, but now, I see an appreciable gain,” Olamilekan said.

A taxi driver, Mr Waheed Ajasa, says he now buys petrol at N870 or N875, whereas some filling stations sell at N940 or N945.

“At Moniya area of Ibadan, the latest price is either N865 or N870.

“We have seen some positive changes in our business due to this,” he said.

The taxi driver, however, said the reduction was not significant enough to cause transportation fare to drop.

Similarly, a commercial tricyclist, Mr Abdulamin Mustapha, said the situation had brought a notable difference in the transportation business.

Mustapha, celebrating the reduction, said the public would have complained if the price had increased by N5.

“So, we are happy that the story is about reduction. We thank God.

“We want the government to ensure its continuous decline to improve the economic situation.

“Although there is no uniform price for petrol, it seems that N870 is gaining ground and will soon cut across all the filling stations.

“We are having it good now as we are enjoying the increase in the gain we make in this business,” he said.

Nevertheless, another taxi driver, simply identified as Otunba, said the fuel pump price was still too expensive.

According to him, it has not been supporting the transportation business.

“We buy at N870 or N875, and it is still not okay to make good income as most of the money made is spent on the buying of fuel.

“With 10 litres of fuel, you cannot go more than three turns; going and coming.

“This is a shortage compared to when the fuel was not this expensive.

“We want the price to be further reduced.

“Though the people are already clamouring for a reduction in transport fare, this cannot happen yet because there has not been a huge reduction in fuel pump price,” Otunba said.

Meanwhile, an anonymous taxi driver frankly said the economic situation of Nigeria needed to improve for the respite of every Nigerian.