Fuel queues resurface nationwide
…Oil consumers spend hours to buy fuel in Abuja, others
By Uthman Salami and Ariemu Ogaga
Long queues are creeping back to filling stations across major cities in the country due to the lack of implementations of the agreement made between the oil marketers, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) at a parley last week.
The oil marketers had complained over payment of dues and levies in United States’ Dollar against making such payment in Nigerian currency.
In a swift response to this, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had weighed in by reverting back to the payment of dues and Levies in Nigerian currency.
However, since the agreement were reached last week, modalities to revert back to Naira as currency for payment of dues and Levies at the Port have not been reached.
One of the key members of oil marketers union who did not want his name mentioned in the media, told our Correspondent that until those modalities were explicitly spelt out by the Ministry of Finance fuel scarcity in the country may worsen.
While speaking with our correspondent, he said even though “NNPC has reverted to Naira, NIMASA and NPA with Ministry of Transport are supposed to meet CBN and fashion out how marketers could be paying in Naira for port services and vessels.
“As at this moment, we have not heard anything. If we are made to pay in Dollars at 530 when the template should be 411, who bears the cost of the differences?”
Last week, The NNPC Limited, Major MOMAN, DAPPMAN and other stakeholders had adopted new measures to prevent petrol scarcity and maintain stability in the downstream sector of the nation’s petroleum industry.
The Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Engr. Farouk Ahmed, NNPC’s Engr. Yemi Adetunji, Executive Secretary, MOMAN Mr. Clement Isong, and Mr. Olufemi Adewole, Executive Secretary DAPPMAN,, stated, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, assures the supply of sufficient PMS to the country.
“NNPC shall immediately revert to Naira denominated invoices for excess capacity for coastal movement for the time being.
“Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA and Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA are to engage their supervising Ministry and the CBN to seek ways of addressing the challenges relating to the payment of dues and levies in US Dollars.
“NMDPRA is to engage stakeholders on the reconciliation of bridging claims. The Marketers/Depot Owners are to start charging the official ex-depot price immediately.
“NMDPR will engage stakeholders within the first quarter of 2022 on the implementation of guidelines and timelines of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA in 2021.
“All stakeholders agreed to collaborate to ensure smooth and efficient supply and distribution of petroleum products to all parts of the country.
“MOMAN and DAPPMAN are to immediately communicate this resolution to marketers.”
Meanwhile, our correspondents who monitored activities of events at major filling stations in the country reported queues in cities like Osun, Ekiti and Abuja.
In Abuja, most fuel stations were locked while long queues were noticed in retail outlets in Wuse, Gwarimpa, Wuye and Kubwa expressway on Sunday and early hours of yesterday.
Our Correspondent who was on ground to monitor the scenes of events reported that Motorists spend hours to buy fuel in Abuja, urging FG to address the looming fuel scarcity
The situations of things at the Federal Capital Territory yesterday showed that only few Filling Stations were seen selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
At the Central Business District(CBD), Total and NNPC filling stations were seen dispensing fuel to motorists, however not without long queues.
The same thing was observed in AA Rano, Shema and AFDIN along Kubwa Expressway.
However, Oando, Shafa, along the Kubwa Expressway were not selling.
According to a motorist, Emeka Ogenyi who lives in Kafe Estate Gwarimpa, said he spent roughly two hours on queue at ADFIN filling station along Kubwa Expressway.
He expressed that Federal Government should quickly arrest the situation before it gets worse.
Another Motorist, Ahmed Aliyu a resident of Dawaki said he noticed some filling stations were shut down, however, he was able to fill his Tank at AA Rano along Kubwa Expressway after queueing for few hours.
According to him, “The Federal Government needs to wade into action before the situation escalates, the pains of wasting one’s productive time on queue shouldn’t be experienced by anybody.”
A private car owner, Mr Emmanuel Eze, said that there was fuel but does not know the reason for the queues. He urged the government to bring sanity to the oil sector.
“They encourage black market and most times their fuel is adulterated.
“Why do we have to face this kind of problem every month? We need a permanent solution,” Eze said.
Another private car owner, Alhaji Ibrahim Audu. said that there was enough fuel on ground, quoting the Nigerian National Petroleum corporation (NNPC).
“I urge all the regulating authorities to sanction fuel station owners. They are making people suffer unnecessary and it’s for their selfish reason.”
A taxi driver, Mr Yakubu Abraham, said that he has been at the petrol station since 6 pm and was yet to buy petrol.
“This is my source of livelihood. My family depends on this daily and this fuel problem will slow my productivity and return for the day.
“I am scared of buying from the black market because the last time I did, they sold bad fuel to me and it spoilt my fuel pump and I spent more money in fixing it.
“Everything is hard now and this will be bad for the citizens,” Abraham said.
In Ado Ekiti,only one independent filling station sold PMS to motorists. From Ile Ilesa to Ado Ekiti.
Meanwhile, efforts made to get the reactions of NIMASA, NPA and Ministry of Finance to speak on the modalities of payments by oil marketers in the country proved abortive as questions sent via text and mail were not responded to as at the time of filling this report.
