Fuel scarcity: Motorists dump N200/litre filling stations amidst uncertainty over deregulation

…As long queues reduce in Lagos, South West

By Our Correspondents

Motorists in filling stations across the country have continuously dumped fuel stations selling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at N200 and above per litre amidst uncertainties that have shrouded deregulation of the sector.

The Federal Government, through the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, announced the suspension of the proposed deregulation of the oil sector.

The government also announced that it would propose over N4.6 Trillion to the National Assembly to make additional provisions for fuel subsidy from July this year till a time deemed appropriate for its eventual removal in what many experts in the industry have described as a slap on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

This had thrown many, including the investors and captains of the industry in an unknown and unpredictable sector.

Yet, many have attributed the uncertainties to the surge in fuel price at global market just as many filling stations in Nigeria keep selling at different rates despite the sector being regulated by the federal government.

Many fuel consumers have continued to queue up at filling stations selling at regulated prices, abandoning those selling at N200 and above.

Residents of the State of Osun are finding it more difficult to get Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol to power their vehicles, machines and power generating sets.

This is just as some filling stations in the state have increased the pump price from N162/N165 to N300, N250, and N200 per litre.

Nigerian NewsDirect’s investigation revealed that there has been irregular selling price of fuel in many parts of the state by few filling stations that were able to get fuel at the depots.

It was also discovered that the scarcity of fuel has led to increase in pump price in many filling stations across the state with the commodity selling between the price of N200 – N400 per litre at some private filling stations.

The medium observed that all the independent marketers in the state were selling at the normal price of N162/N165 per litre and this has led to heavy queues at the stations.

The independent marketers selling at the normal pump price in spite of the scarcity are Bovas, Matrix, A.A Rano, NIPCO, Mobil, Total and Enyo.

Popular filling stations in Osogbo, Adolak, Oduwoye were selling fuel at N250 per litre, while Cisse, a filling station at Rinsayo Area, ring road, Osogbo, was selling at N220 as of yesterday.

In Ondo State, both motorists and commuters in the state, particularly, in Akure the state capital are still struggling day and night to get petrol from the few filling stations dispensing the product.

At a few of the filling stations dispensing the product, when our Correspondent went round the Akure city, it has been an exhibition of anger and at times confrontations by customers who deploy different means to get the product which now sells between N165 and N300.

Few filling stations such as Bovas, Glofes and Conoil were seen selling the product with long queues of kegs, motorcycles and cars.

It was also observed that the major roads within the Akure metropolis, which used to be busy with vehicular activities, were scanty as few private cars and taxis were seen plying the roads.

Besides, the worsened situation has also led to many residents embarking on long distance walks due to the surge in transportation fares while some were stranded at bus stops.

In Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital, the fuel price varies. Boval sells at N165 across the State while others like Agaka petroleum sell at N230 while Conoil sell at 300.

Fuel situation in Port Harcourt has not improved either. The prices remain between N200 to N220. Transport fares remain high at 100% increase. For instance, Rumuokoro to Lagos Bus stop that was previously N100 is now N200.

As the fuel scarcity persists throughout the federation, Abuja the nation’s capital still witnesses long queues at various filling stations throughout the FCT.

A lot of queues were seen in A. A. Rano filling station in A.Y.A , Shema filling station along Kugbo – Karu Express  way, Total filling station by Police Force Headquarters, with several motorists queuing up under the scourging heat of the sun, waiting patiently for several hours to take turns to refill their tanks.

A.A. Rano filling station situated in one-man village  along Abuja-Keffi Express way also had long unabated cues with several motorist scouting for fuel.

A staff of A. A. Rano who pleaded anonymous to Nigerian NewsDirect, said that they have been having constant supply of fuel and selling to motorists, but the queues seem unending because several other filling stations along the express way were inoperative.

The staff equally stated that since the commencement of fuel scarcity, the station had never been out of supply of fuel but had witnessed gridlock of motorists cueing for hours to buy at a pump price of N165 per litre.

The staff also stated that it was not allowed to sell in gallons and that they  frown at black marketers.

Many motorists expressed great worries and concern on how their businesses are suffering because a huge chunk of their time is spent in the petrol station canvassing for fuel.

They called on the government to take swift action to end the fuel crisis eating deep into the bones of the economy of the nation.

As at the time of filing this report, no gallon was seen in the filling station, and the manager of the station was not on seat to confirm these claims.

Fuel  scarcity still persists in some parts of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital in spite of the setting up of a committee by the State government to monitor the fuel situation in the state to ensure that marketers do not hoard the product or sale it at cut-throat prices to consumers.

Our reporter who went round some parts of the state capital observed that most filling stations were closed while those that opened sold at  N190 while others are still selling it at N220 per litre as at when there was acute shortage.

Elsewhere, black market operators are still selling the commodity between N300 to N350 per litre.

Commenting on the scarcity, some tricycle riders who spoke on conditions of anonymity said the current fuel situation is really affecting the transportation business.

The situation has really affected businesses in the Yenagoa metropolis as a copy of photocopy is now N30 as against the normal N20 per copy.