Black market operators had a field day in Calabar, the Cross River State capital as they sold petrol for as high as N300 per litre on Tuesday.
Consumers however were still buying even at that price.
A drive through the city revealed that almost all the independent marketers were closed.
A petrol station that had the product along Palm Street sold for N180 per litre, while along the highway a couple of stations that were open sold for N150 per litre.
Calabar streets were mostly empty as many vehicles were off the road as a result of the scarcity.
Many commuters within the city had to trek long distances due to the unavailability of commercial vehicles.
Transport fares have shut up following the scarcity of petrol in filing stations and commuters said the situation was seriously affecting business activities and life generally.
A public servant, Mrs Esther Ariyo, said she spent N150 instead of N50 from Eight Miles area to the Federal Secretariat along the Murtala Mohammed Highway.
She said, “As a civil servant, this is too much for me. Imagine, if the situation lingers, how much would somebody spend in a month and how much is my salary?”
According to her, such extra spending was not favourable to the public service workers.
Also reacting to the situation, Mr Benjamin Okoro, a businessman said, the increase in transport fare by taxi operators was causing hardship to the people.
“Now from Calabar South to Mariam, one is spending close to N300 for something that was not more than N100 before. Our people were not used to this kind of sudden change of situation,” Okoro said.
Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria in the state, Mr. Michael Udofia, said the product was not available in depots.
“We don’t have any product. Even throughout the Christmas period there was no scarcity. Even then when there was so much activities petrol was not hoarded. So why should we hoard it now. For the past two years we have not had scarcity. So this is not our making.
“We have about 14 depots in the city and none of them is working. Even the NNPC depot was not working. So we have not been supplied with the product and that is why there is scarcity,” he said. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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