Hengo Badagry Youth Association has commended Babatunde Hunpe, lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency in House of Representatives, for his efforts over resumption of fuel supply to filing stations in the border area.
Mr Felix Godonu, President of the association, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Badagry.
According to the president, over 150 communities in Badagry were on lockdown due to border closure and suspension of fuel supply to filling stations in the area.
Godonu said that it was through the assistance of the lawmaker that the Federal Government approved nine filling stations within the area to start receiving fuel supply to reduce the hardship being faced by residents.
“This lockdown of a thing is not strange to us in Badagry because since Aug. 21, 2019 when the border was partially closed and suspension of fuel supply to our filling stations, we have been observing lockdown.
“We have no industry, no company here, 85 per cent of those making their source of living here are licensed customs agents.
“Since they have closed border, they have chased out of businesses, how do our people who sell pure water and soft drinks to them feed their families,” he said.
The president said that residents of Gbaji, Apa, Kweme, Owode in Badagry went through hell in the hands of security agents during the era of fuel supply suspension.
“When FG suspended fuel supply to border communities, we were told to get petrol at Badagry to power our generators.
“Unfortunately, there are many Police and Customs check points on the road from Badagry to Seme and Owode, these security agents will collect four litres of petrol from us.
“They went to the extent of collecting money from the motorists if you have a full tank and we have more than 150 communities living in this area.
“More than 20 cars belonging to industrious sons of the area had been impounded because they saw 20 litres of petrol in their vehicles even though we have hotels and business centres.
“All these hotels and business centres will depend on petrol to power their generators because we don’t have power supply from distribution companies.
“Even our fishermen are not left out because there is no petrol to power their boats in order to move on the sea.
“Businesses crumble, our youths became jobless and our homes are empty,” he said.
Godonu thanked Federal Government for its magnanimity by allowing some filling stations to get the petroleum products to those communities.
He urged the government to allow more filling stations in the area to supply the products because only nine stations were not enough for over 150 communities.
The president also called on the National Assembly to look into the proliferation of over 50 checking points mounted by police, customs immigration and other agencies in Badagry area.
“The level and manner of extortion by the various security agents via the check points is such that cost of transportation has gone up.
“Many times, commuters get stranded at Agbara because of hike in fare as a result of extortions at numerous check points on Badagry roads.
“We are not in a war zone here, the level of harassment is unbearable; security agencies have succeeded in putting a lot of legitimate business owners out of business.
“We are not saying that we don’t need security but the rate of extortion is too high, please help us,” he said.
