Adebayo Adenrele
Commercial Drivers and Motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada Riders in Ekiti State have revealed why they prefer to patronise major marketers’ filling stations and desert independent marketers’ Petroleum stations.
The reason is not far-fetched, as Okada riders, believe that major marketers’ filling stations are more trustworthy in their fuel calibration, whereas independent marketers’ filling stations often manipulate their meters to dispense lesser quantities.
Investigation by NEWSTODAYNG reveals that motorised vehicle users patronize major marketers’ filling stations, such as NIPCO, BOVAS, NNPC, AA Rano and Bovas, unlike independent marketers’ filling stations like Phenrose Oil and Gas, Sambola Oil and Gas Ltd, Glofes Filling Station, among others.
Apart from Phenrose Oil and Gas that sells at N875 per litre like major marketers’ filling stations, Sambola Oil and Gas Ltd, Glofes Filling Station and others sell around N880, N885 and N890 respectively, with lesser patronage, owing to manipulation of fuel meters.
Speaking with a commercial bus driver at BOVAS filling station, Tunji Egbeyemi said he prefer to patronise major marketers because their fuel pump is not manipulated unlike independent marketers whose metre is tampered below the stipulated standard.
An Okada Rider at NIPCO, Boluwade Olagunju also exuded confidence in the services of major marketers, saying he always get value of his money.
Another Motorcyclist, Aina Ilori said he only patronise independent marketers when he’s in a hurry and can’t withstand the queues at major marketers’ filing stations.
To confirm the veracity of the claims, our Reporter bought fuel from several filling stations such as NIPCO, located at Ben Folarin, Irona Road, Ado-Ekiti and Phenrose Oil and Gas, located beside Fayose Market, Ado-Ekiti.
NEWSTODAYNG confirmed that Phenrose Oil and Gas had manipulated the fuel pump, even though they sold fuel at the same price of N875 per liter as NIPCO.
Also, a litre of fuel bought in filling stations such as Sambola Oil and Gas Ltd, Glofes Filling Station and others, was a little less than the fuel quality of major marketers’ filling stations.
Meanwhile, in a conversation with a fuel attendant at Phenrose Oil and Gas, it was claimed that the fuel pump was the same as other filling stations, adding that their metre is the best among other competitors.
NEWSTODAYNG confirms that the claims of the Okada riders are accurate, which account to why the independent marketers’ filling stations are deserted.
