Fuel scarcity, long queues worsen in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, others
…As price hits N300 per litre
By Our Correspondents
The latest wave of fuel scarcity in the south-west region has spread to Ogun as major filling stations in Abeokuta, the capital, have either shut down or are experiencing long queues of buyers.
The gnawing fuel scarcity arising from the rise in cost of diesel which the tankers rely on for transportation of petroleum products has resulted in an increase in pump price of the products to between N180 and N200 per litre in Ogun State.
While the major marketers are still selling for the approved pump price of N165 per litre, though with their attendants asking motorists to part with N100 for every purchase, the independent marketers are selling for between N180 and N200.
Our Correspondent also observed that while there are queues in some of these fuel stations operated by the major marketers, such was absent in those stations owned by the independent marketers.
Apparently, people are trying to avoid buying where they would pay more and would rather join the long queue unless it was in a situation where they could not help.
Not much of a long queue was observed in some parts of Abeokuta but our Correspondent gathered that there were light queues in some parts of the state such as Sagamu, Ilisan Remo, Ijebu Ode among others.
The NNPC mega station at Oke Mosan area of Abeokuta was reported not to have dispensed fuel from Thursday to Saturday that our Correspondent visited the station.
The Fatgbems Filling Station, located directly opposite the NNPC mega station, was not dispensing fuel when our correspondent visited the station in the early hours of Saturday.
Also in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, some filling stations had long queues while others were not selling fuel, according to our Correspondents who visited the stations.
Also, there is a hint of fuel scarcity in Ile-Ife but the scarcity is barely visible. Some filling stations were seen dispensing fuel to motorists while some did not open their stations.
Some dependent marketers who have PMS such as NNPC, MOBIL, TOTAL, TEXACO and BOVAS filing stations were selling fuel to customers. No queue was noticed yesterday in most of the filing stations that were seen selling petroleum motor spirit to their customers.
Some of the Independent marketers have closed their filling stations for lack of fuel while some were also seen dispensing PMS to motorists.
The fuel scarcity had not been absolutely affecting the town as some of the filing stations had PMS were selling it at stated price of N165 per litre. Though some Independent marketers were on Friday selling PMS between N180 to N200 per litre before reverting to official price of N165 per litre.
In Port Harcourt the fuel situation in Rivers State at large remains undisturbed. Apart from the hike in transport fare that was done at the height of last nationwide fuel scarcity, which transporters have refused to reverse, there are no queues anywhere in the state.
Long queues were spotted earlier today in parts of Abuja, causing motorists to hike fare amidst gridlock occasioned by the scarcity on the Nyanya-Keffi expressway.
Speaking to Nigerian NewsDirect, Mr. Salihu Otunba a Labour Unionist said the hardship Nigerians are passing through over fuel scarcity is becoming unbearable.
According to him there is petroleum product at the depots, but refused to dismiss speculations that fuel subsidy removal was connected with the current scarcity.
“To be experiencing Motor Spirit scarcity in one of the largest OPEC countries is one more proof that Nigeria is not designed for the citizens but for a sect of men who lack empathy, vision and strategy to transform anything.”
A driver, Mr. Godwin Itodo said, “Some filling stations are even selling the fuel now at N250 per litre and when you buy 10 litres within two hours it finishes.”
He stressed despite the fuel scarcity most filling stations in Abuja have readjusted their pump nozzles shortchanging customers and the law enforcement agencies are not checkmating them.
The Chairman of the South-West zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Dele Tajudeen had earlier said that the association might instruct its members in the zone to increase the pump prices of fuel, as well as diesel if the appropriate federal government’s regulatory agency failed to address the continuous non-supply of the products to its members.
He said members of IPMAN in his chapter had been unable to access supplies of the products from any of the six government-owned depots for the past six months.
However, some of the experts who spoke with Nigerian NewsDirect called on government to save the situation.
While reacting to the development, the Managing Partner, BBH Consulting, Barr. Ameh Madaki, said Government should save commuters from the hassles resulting from the epileptic supply of fuel.
According to him, “It is difficult to tell the cause of this lingering fuel scarcity as we have heard so many different accounts, most times conflicting, from NNPC and its agencies that it is no longer easy to come to terms with what is happening.
“But whatever it is, let those in charge of the process rein it in and save the commuting public all the hassles resulting from the epileptic supply of fuel. The government agencies involved should also be open to the public and stop the hide and seek game, that people can effectively plan,” he stated.
Reacting on the PMS scarcity, the Lead Strategist and Director of Nigerian Workforce Strategy and Enlightenment Centre (NIWOSEC) Dr David Kayode Ehindero said, “It is unfortunate that the people saddled with the responsibility of manning the energy sector are not executing their duties effectively. He called on the Government to take the bull by the horns by sacking those staff sabotaging the situation despite Government effort being put in place to salvage the fuel crisis.
At the time of filling this report, efforts to get reactions from Major Oil Marketers proved abortive as calls and texts sent were not responded to.
