Black marketers smile to bank as fuel scarcity hits Abuja, motorists, commuters groan
By Taofeek Lawal
Despite the assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that there would not be any increment in the price of petrol in the month of March, black marketers have taken over the major streets of Abuja especially the Central Business District and are making brisk business out of artificial fuel scarcity created by the filling stations.
Although, the NNPC in a release by its Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Dr Kennie Obateru, on Sunday cautioned petroleum product marketers not to engage in arbitrary price increase and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians, motorists in the nation’s capital are groaning over scarcity of petrol for their vehicles.
While some motorists (commercial and government workers) resorted to join the queues and spent hours before getting fuel for their vehicles, majority especially top government functionaries who have the wherewithal patronized the black marketers who are selling 10 litres of fuel between N4,000 and N4,500.
Motorists and commuters who spoke with Nigerian NewsDirect have called on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other stakeholders to rescue Nigerians from the hardship they are presently subjected to by the Federal Government through its economic policies. They called on the government to open up on what it intends to do with the petroleum sector so that Nigerians can prepare for any eventuality.
A commercial driver who spoke to our correspondent said the NNPC should take decisive steps against marketers who are hoarding fuel from and called on the corporation to also walk its talk by supplying enough to fuel stations not only in Abuja but all over the country.
“Nigerians have suffered enough in the hands of this government. Tell me one thing that we have enjoyed since this government came on board in 2015. They keep on compounding woes through their unpopular policies and when we talk or protest, they attack us through the security agencies. When they came up with their salary increment in 2019, they immediately introduced increment in value added tax (VAT) and started the increase in fuel price since then. Foodstuff prices keep increasing every day and it is no longer at ease for most Nigerians. Those in government do not have our interest at hearts because they get everything free,” the driver who gave his name as Alfred told Abuja Update.
But while the drivers and commuters are complaining about the fuel scarcity, the black marketers are enjoying the moment. According to some of them who aired their views, they want the scarcity to persist so that they can make more money. Aliyu Bature and Usman Baba in their remarks want the scarcity to last longer till the end of March the time they would have made enough money to sustain them for more than six months to take care of their family.
“We want the scarcity to persist because this is the only time we make our money. Although we feel for the people but we have to make money to feed our family. We do not create the fuel scarcity but those in the corridors of power did. Don’t be surprised that these people are the ones giving us the fuel to sell to poor Nigerians and they are happy about it. Where is our faults and why are we been held responsible because we are doing our jobs?” Aliyu and Usman said.
