Students in tertiary institutions across the country are feeling the heat of the fuel scarcity, the hike in prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and fare. FATIMAH IDERA and PETER EMMANUEL (AAUA) report.
Students are groaning under the weight of fuel scarcity and increase in price of petrol and transport fare. Not only that, the rising inflation as the Yuletide approaches is eroding consumers’ purchasing power.
Despite the scarcity and hike in price of petrol, which was N165 per litre, and now between N250 and N280 per litre, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) insisted that the country had 34 days of fuel sufficiency in store.
There is evidence of shortage across the country.
Earlier this month NMDPRA stated: “This advisory addresses speculations on the price and availability of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS. The authority wishes to inform the general public that the Federal Government has no intention of increasing the price of PMS during this period.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) has imported PMS with current stock levels sufficient for 34 days.
“Consequently, marketers and the general public are advised to avoid panic buying, diversion of products, and hoarding.’’
In keeping with the authority’s responsibilities, as outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, the agency assured the public that it would continue to monitor the supply and distribution of all petroleum products nationwide.
However, students have expressed frustration at the hike with its far-reaching consequences on their meagre resources.
Ifáloye Popoluwa, a student at Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, is unhappy. According to him, they are still reeling from the pains of ASUU strike and now there is hike in fuel price.
He said: “How are students expected to survive? I leave very far from school but before I could get to school I need to take bike of N150 which was N100 before. Going to and fro costs nothing less than N300 in a day. I don’t have any more savings.”
Quadri Yahaya, an ND 2 Mass Communication student at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, said some students were selective in attending lectures since the cost of transportation is becoming unbearable and they have no option.
“It’s quite frustrating when one is yet to get something to eat but the transportation cost continues to increase due to the hike in the price of petrol. For instance, I have an important registration to do somewhere, but I have to hold back till I have more events to attend in the area to kill two birds with a stone.
“Earlier this a trip we were paying N50 for now costs N150. I just hope everything returns to normal very soon,” he said.
For Abel Orimisan, a 200-Level Sociology student at Ekiti State University, the hike has really affected him. He spends N500 daily from his home to school within Akungba.
“As a student, I think that is too much. The economy is bad, but transport should be easy for the masses and I think the government should do something about it before it gets out of hand,” he said.
Shittu Abass, a 100-Level student at Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, said: “We used to board bus for N50 before, now it is N100 due to increase in petrol price.
‘’Financially, it is affecting me. It makes my expenses increase. Inflation is also not helping matters.”
Fawaz Adebisi, a Mass Communication student at MAPOLY, said: “In the past, we boarded buses on campus for N50 or N80, now we pay N150. It has also affected many things we need to do in school.
“As a student, it has affected me in many ways because the normal price we bought goods before has now increased with some extra charges because of the hike in price of fuel.”
Sola Omoniyi, a student at University of Ilorin, said: “Increase in petrol price has caused students to skip class. Students have no option than to skip 7am classes.
“Some now prefer to trek to school, meaning they come late to class because of that.
“Fuel price hike has also affected the price of goods and services. Rise in production cost translates into higher consumer prices.
“A student who depends on N1,000 daily for feeding, with the increase in petrol price, cannot afford three meals a day because of hike in prices of goods and other commodities.”
John Akinseloyin Oluwaseun, a student at University of Lagos, said the hike had made life uneasy for students who partially depended on fuel because of unstable power. Hence, they found it difficult to do assignments.
“It leads to traffic congestion which may prevent student who are not close to the school area to miss morning classes.
“Also, things have become expensive, especially food; making it less affordable for students,” he said.
Akashoro Olayemi, a student at Lagos State University of Science and Technology LASUSTECH, said: “Being a part-time student, the upsurge in petrol price has impacted my studies adversely.
“There were times I could not go to school for lectures. This was because the fuel hike has led to fuel scarcity in some areas within Ikorodu and increase in transportation fare from my residence, Bayeku, to the main campus in Ikorodu.” The fare from Bayeku to Ikorodu garage was N300 before the hike. Now, it is N400. Sometimes, I pay N500 during rush hour in the evening or whenever it rains.
“Also, the prices of goods have skyrocketed. My purchasing power for household commodities and learning materials has reduced. What I used to buy for N100 is now sold for N200, twice the previous price. Truth must be told, many students are going through economic hardship already. This predicament occasioned by the hike in petrol price would only worsen the case.
“I am appealing to the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the incessant increase in petrol price as this tends to make commuting and studying difficult for students who are on and off campus.”
Abdulrasheed Akere, a 200-Level student of Education Biology at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS), said: “Most students schooling in far North like me, resumed school late due to transport expenses. The previous fare to Sokoto was N6,000 but, this semester, it was nothing less than N9,000.
“Also, the hike made parents to give their children inadequate pocket money.”
Kazeem Munir Idowu, a student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, decried the high fare on campus.
“Transportation cost on campus is high. Students are affected. They cannot trek from one lecture theatre to another. Food stuff is expensive as a result of high price of petrol. Shop owners are also complaining.
“School authorities cannot power the school as a result of scarcity of fuel,” he said.
Adepoju Samuel, a 200-Level student at University of Ibadan, said the market was significantly boosted by crude oil, hence, any variation in price of one of the crude oil products would have an impact on other things.
He said: “The use of hot plates or electric cookers is prohibited in my institution. This means I have to use an alternative — kerosene. A bottle of kerosene costs roughly N1,000. This has made me re-think any culinary activities I might have in mind. For instance, to just cook two cups of rice I’ll need to buy half-bottle of kerosene which costs N500. How do I daily cope with this expense considering I mainly bank on feeding allowances sent from home? Recently, some of my mates have had to feed only on loaves of bread and carbonated drinks since to cook is now expensive.
“Also, the average transportation fare has increased by an alarming rate of 25-50 per cent. A commercial tricycle that previously charged N100 now charges N150. Thus, many students miss vital lectures since we cannot daily afford the fare. It is frustrating and disappointing.”
Adeyemo Samuel, a student at Federal University, Uyo, said: “Going to class is now difficult for students, as the price of the shuttle has increased, not even by a little amount, but double the price the students paid before. We can’t also blame the drivers, because they also need to make profit. May God help and give us a lasting solution in this country.”
Lecturers react
Senior Lecturer and sub-Dean of the Faculty of Arts of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Dr. Sunday Abraham Ogunode, said: “People are hoarding petrol to make things difficult. The situation is really telling on Nigerians. The way it affects some Nigerians is not the same way it affects those that are stealing our money because they could make a call and fuel of any quantity will drop at their doorstep, but you and I will have to go on a long queue. During this period, people bought fuel for between N280, and N300 per litre.
“The first question is that, is there really scarcity of fuel? To me, there’s no fuel scarcity. It seems some people want to take advantage of the approaching festive period to exploit the over-exploited Nigerians.
“The solution is good leadership with direction and people should be held accountable. Also, marketers cannot just wake up one day and say they want to increase fuel price. Once we get leadership right, things will get better.”
Mr. Lamidi Ishola, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, AAUA, said fuel scarcity was a recurring problem causing untold hardship to people.
“It isn’t good for the image of an oil producing country like Nigeria and it is high time the government did something about it, but the government and the NNPCL then made it clear to the public that there were no issues.
“The solution is that the government should strategise and block any leakages and if there are saboteurs among the marketers such people should be made to face the wrath of the law”.
Business owners lament
Aduragbemi Ojo, the owner of a hair salon in Akungba, said he could not increase the price of haircut despite the hike and difficulty in getting fuel.
He said: “Will I tell my customers to pay N700 instead of the usual N500? I need to keep them because they are students and majority still depend on their parents. But I do appeal to some to add some amount to the initial price. Fuel in Akungba is sold for N280 and N300 depending on the petrol station.”
Adeleye Adetutu, a commercial motorcyclist, said: “I don’t know why they are hoarding fuel. Citizens are seriously suffering. We can’t make genuine profit even though we increased fare by 50 per cent.
“We have a family; our children need to eat and we don’t need to deprive them of their fundamental human rights. Specifically, the right to education because they need to acquire knowledge.”
Adejo Johnson, another motorcyclist, said: “Majority of petrol stations in Akure sell between N270 and N280. We need to travel for Christmas and New Year, but the hike in fuel price has affected transport fare. Transport from Akure to Kogi is now