As part of the Delta state government’s palliative measures to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy, the State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has called on Delta Transport Service, operators of the state-owned Delta Line fleet of vehicles and others operating government procured vehicles to desist from charging arbitrary fares or risk sanction.

The governor, who said this when he visited the loading bay of Delta Line in Asaba, also ordered the immediate refund of the difference in the fares charged before the Christmas season and the current jacked-up fare, adding that transport fares should not be arbitrarily increased as a result of the increase in the price of petrol.

The Governor said the recent commissioning of 100 18-seater Hiace buses was a palliative measure put in place to cushion the effect of subsidy removal and that any government official found sabotaging the efforts of government would be sanctioned, adding that the state government would pay transport operators the difference between what they were charging before Christmas and when subsidy was removed.

Responding the General Manager of the State Transport Line, Elder Isaiah Eyione promised to comply with the governor’s directives by refunding the difference in the excess fares charged passengers.

When CHANNELS TELEVISION visited some of the filling stations in Asaba, the state capital, some were selling fuel for N97 per litre while others sold for between N100 and N105 per litre just as motorists complained of the short supply of petrol.

Most commuters also called on the federal government to make fuel available to Nigerians to stop unnecessary queuing at filling stations.