Transport Fares Increase In Imo Following Petroleum Marketers’ Strike Rumour

Public transport fares in Owerri have remained high following an anticipation of an indefinite strike action by the Association of Independent Petroleum Marketers (AIPM) in Imo.

The Association had embarked on a three-day strike from Aug. 24, and said it would resume after two weeks if its demands were not met by the Imo government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the association went on strike to pressure the state government to comply with a court ruling in its favour.

The group alleged that the state government had refused to obey a court judgment on payment of compensation to a member whose filling station was demolished by the Rochas Okorocha administration.

NAN also recalls that the group had agreed to suspend the strike on Aug. 27, for two weeks to enable the government to comply with the court judgment.

Following the strike which led to fuel scarcity and increased prices, transport fares were increased by public transport operators.

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NAN, however, reports that since the strike was called off and fuel prices returned to normal, transporters had refused to reduce transport fares.

While the price of fuel had returned to N165 per litre, public transporters continued to charge extra N50 for every trip regardless of distance.

Meanwhile, Owerri residents had begun panic buying of premium motor spirit, also known as fuel, following rumours of a planned indefinite strike action by AIPM.

Petrol stations in the state capital were crowded as cars and pedestrians with containers queued to fill up ahead of the rumoured strike action.

Some buyers who spoke to NAN said that although the rumours were unconfirmed, they preferred to buy and keep to avoid getting stranded if the strike begun.

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