The hike in the price of fuel, as well as the scarcity of it, have left many commuters stranded, and queuing to purchase. Reports have shown that the crowds at filling stations differ.
In Ogun State, stations selling above N800 per litre have less crowd than those selling between N600 to N700 per litre. But the irony in this is that the filling station selling between N600 to N700 per litre are closed due to no supply. This has left commuters and residents to patronise those who sell at high prices.
These few filling stations are besieged by desperate buyers. Often only the strongest or the influential buyers who are in one way connected to the manager, get theirs before others. A few tricky ones smuggle in the crowd to get theirs, without regarding the established protocol.
While this can be termed as the survival of the fittest, it is imperative to note that the whole of Nigerians are caught up in this bad scenario. Being selfish is not only maniacally fiendish but a catastrophe to nationalism which the country holds.
The managers of every filling station should consider their station as a public station and therefore should offer and serve the public interest, and not the few wealthy ones.
The managers should be logical, by establishing a specific quantity a commuter can buy at a time. They should also ban anyone bringing more than one container to buy.
In another way, they should establish a protocol of ‘no queuing, no petrol’ to curb the rattling situation and establish order. As Nigerians, the habit of bypassing is innate. In most places, Nigerians like to be served first. And this has only led to anarchy. Presently in most stations, it has led to brawls.
Though stampede hasn’t been recorded, but with this disorderliness still ragging, it is only a matter of time and fate. Orderliness should be established, to establish logical operations. As the government is sourcing for ways to solve this scarcity menace, filling stations shouldn’t turn into a wrestling ring, where mayhem is dominating, and lives and properties are lost.
Olayioye Paul Bamidele is a 300-level mass communication student at Olabisi Onabanjo University
