Omo, dem don scatter our pocket again! The price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) don rise from N230 to N450 for one standard cubic metre. E be like say na one kind magic because people no wan believe am. Dis price hike no even get small warning bell, e just come like thief in night. Na government wan remove some subsidy slots for this fuel matter.
According to insiders wey fit talk, truck drivers go pay N450 and dem no dey fear how much dem go spend. But if you be commercial driver, you fit still find am for N380. E be like say dem wan reserve the cheap gas for people wey dey carry passangers—na so dem go fit hustle small.
Michael Oluwagbemi, wey dey lead the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), no answer calls on top this wahala wey dey happen. But one of im boys wey no wan show face talk say dem dey work on getting more refilling stations to avoid the long lines wey dey frustrate drivers.
“We wan build plenty stations so gbege no go dey occur for people wey don convert dem motor to CNG,” e talk. But hold on, e be like say this matter no go end well. Some people dey fear sey if this gas continue to dey rise, dem fit start to look petrol again. Time will tell if CNG go still be ‘cheaper alternative’ wey dem dey shout for everywhere.
One of the CNG retailers even talk sey NNPC Gas Marketing Limited wey dey handle price for gas dem don join the recovery race. Dem talk sey ‘Na dem review the price and we see sey we go fit enter N500 or N600 soon.’ Imagine! This one go make drivers dey cry for body! But na so life be, as dem say ‘no place like home,’ and we dey try adjust.
Some people wey don convert dem motors don spend small fortune like N1.5 million just to dey shake their head for fuel savings, but now with this price wahala, dem fit need to go back to petrol, wey don turn into gold. Adeyemi Paul, wey be ride-hailing driver talk say, ‘When you watch dem queues, e be like say na race, dem be long like 1.5 kilometers!’ How e suppose sweet?
One spokesperson for the Nigerian Petroleum Minister, Ekperikpe Ekpo, no fit talk because e dey under ground with the minister. Meanwhile, this CNG scheme wey government dey push come after w dem remove fuel subsidy wey send petrol price enter N870. Omo, as dem dey use CNG, 100,000 petrol motors don convert since the project start and na wetin dem dey find for solution.
Oluwagbemi talk say nothing we no go fit achieve and dem dey push forward to produce more CNG-powered motors. As soon as dem finish with construction, we go see progress for refueling stations with 175 more on the way. Dealing with old fuel subsidy wahala no go finish overnight, but we dey hope for better days ahead.
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