Motorists and motorcycle operators in Asaba last Sunday bemoaned the persisting scarcity of petrol in the city and called on the Federal Government to arrest the situation immediately.

The scarcity of the product has been on for about 10 days and has led to the high cost of the commodity at filling stations and black markets.

The situation has also brought back long queues at the few filling stations where the product is  available.

Consequently, the development has brought back sights of jerry-can carrying black marketers  in the state capital and its environs most of whom sold the product to motorists at cut-throat prices,

A litre of fuel currently sells for between  N120 and N140 instead of the official price of N97, at the filling stations, while the same quantity goes for between N200 and N250 in the black market.

However,  in spite of the high cost of petrol, transport fares for both intra-city and inter-city journeys have remained stable.

Commercial motorcyclists and taxi operators still charge N50 and N30, respectively per trip for short distances.

Mr Chikaodi Zulu, a commercial motorist, said that transport fares could not be increased further in spite of scarcity and exorbitant prices of petrol because the people would resist it.

“We are all currently facing one challenge or the other. Besides, the scarcity places equal burden on all of us.

“Any attempt to increase the price, we know we will be asking for trouble because the masses will resist the price as they are ready to trek to their destinations,’’ he said.

Another taxi driver, John Onyeka, said while fares had remained stable on regular routes, the drivers made up for the high price they paid for petrol whenever they were lucky to have “charter contracts”.

He said: “we still charge N30 for short distances while charter service has increased from N250 to between N350 and N500 per drop within Asaba metropolis.”

However, a commercial motorcyclist, Ismail Adewole, said that he was not happy that passengers were resisting fare increases.

He said passengers needed to sympathise with taxi and commercial motorcycle operators, who  had no option than to buy fuel at exorbitant prices to remain in business for survival.

“We go the extra mile to queue up and get fuel even at high cost, yet passengers don’t want to understand that. They forget that the price we quote will take care of repairs, fuel and our profits,” Adewole said.

A business woman, “Madam Philo”, however, cautioned commercial motorists and motorcyclists not to expect “a win-win situation all the time”.