Residents of Saki, Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State on Thursday threatened to stage a protest over the scarcity and increment in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petroleum.
They identified smuggling of the product from Nigeria to Benin Republic as the factor behind the scarcity, advising the government to address the issue.
Saki is a border town of Nigeria and Benin Republic.
The convener, Saki First, a social-cultural group in the town, Mr. Lawal kunle, who confirmed the scarcity of the PMS to our correspondent in Ibadan said the increment is affecting all businesses in the area.
He urged the federal government to monitor the activities of petroleum marketers in the area to ensure life is not miserable to the people of Saki.
Another resident of Saki who craved for anonymous said many of the petroleum marketers are 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.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in the state proved abortive as the number of the Head of Publicity, Niyi Olowokekere was switched off and the text messages sent to him was not replied to.
