Residents Lament As Fuel Scarcity Hits Saki

Commercial activities were partially crippled in Saki, Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State as residents staged a protest over scarcity and increment in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

It was gathered that the angry residents had identified smuggling of the product from Nigeria to Benin Republic as the factor behind the scarcity, advising the government to address the issue.

Lawal Kunle, the convener, Saki First, a social-cultural group in the town, lamented that the increment was affecting all businesses in the area.

He appealed to the federal government to monitor the activities of petroleum marketers in the area to ensure life is not miserable for the people of Saki.

A resident who craved anonymity said many of the petroleum marketers were smuggling the product out of the country while the people of Saki are suffering.

“If petroleum price is high and we get it easily, we wouldn’t have any problem but the problem is that we don’t easily get it. No filling station is selling fuel in Saki as we speak.

“Unfortunately, the motorcyclists have increased their fare by almost 100 per cent. Even sachet water is sold for N15 in Saki. Everyone is now blaming skyrocketing prices of consumables on fuel. We cannot continue like this," he said.