Despite assurances by the Federal Government to end the lingering fuel crisis yesterday, the scarcity of the commodity persisted across the country, as petrol continues to sell at N200 and above per litre depending on the part of the country.
NE recalled that Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who doubles as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, had a couple of days ago, promised Nigerians to end the harsh reality and agony of fuel scarcity on April 7.
This is the second time Kachikwu has promised to end the scarcity that began late February. Initially, he said it would go away in 48 hours, after which he recanted and said he was not trained as a magician, and gave a May deadline.
NE gathered that across the country, the fuel agony is far from abating, as the price of the product continues to rise above the regulated price of N86.50 to N120 and even up to N200 per litre.
It was also also learned that while customers decry increasing queues at filling stations across Lagos, the case was different at Badagry, on the outskirts of the state, as report indicated availability of the product which was dispensed at N200 per litre to customers.
In Enugu State,it was gathered that fuel sells at N300 per litre across the filling stations in the state, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles for commuter buses.
The situation has engendered a rise in the cost of goods and services to over 200 per cent marginal increase.
From Kaduna State came the report that fuel now sells for between N200 and N250 per litre in the black market, as record fuel queues hit the state.
Residents of the state yesterday said there was no time that the state has ever witnessed such fuel crisis, not even back in the military era.
Some motorists who spoke to journalists said that they spent days waiting for their turns to get fuel at the few filling stations dispensing fuel.
In Abuja, the fuel situation is biting harder. As at yesterday, the situation had not abated, rather the queues had grown longer at the few filling stations that were selling.
In Oyo State, the fuel scarcity clearly has risen from bad to worse, it was gathered that the Independent marketers now sell between N200 and N290 per litre.
Despite the outrageous price, thousands of motorists and workers struggle at filling stations in Ibadan, Oyo, Saki, Sepeteri, Iseyin, Ogbomoso and many other cities in the state to buy the products. Most people have abandoned their vehicles on queues at filling stations especially the few major marketers which sell at the approved pump fuel price of N86.00.
Queues in some filling stations stretch as far as one and half kilometres. Several workers have resorted to trekking long distances to their places of work.
Meanwhile, in a bid to curtail the excesses of filling station operators, who are believed to hoard the few available fuel and sell in the black market, the Department of Petroleum Resources, Kogi State has revoked the license of one of the filling stations in the state while sealing-off two others for shady deals.
The DPR State Controller, Lokoja Field Office, Mr Amos Jokodola who disclosed this yesterday warned owners of filling stations to desist from selling PMS above the government regulated price or they would have their stations sealed. Jokodola who gave the warning while inspecting filling stations in Lokoja to assess the level of compliance in the area of price and accurate pump dispensing of the petrol to consumers, lamented that the two stations sealed, A.G Nasa (Nig.) Limited and MSS Budun, erred for selling above the pump price and under dispensing.
However, marketers have assured Nigerians of speedy end of the country’s current fuel scarcity.
A marketer who spoke to jounalists n Lagos, on condition of anonymity, said, “The government have pleaded with us to bring out our trucks to fast-track the distribution of PMS across the country, and that we have done. We were told that payment would be made under Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF but we were not given specifics on when to receive payment. “On the contrary, we wonder why they keep blaming marketers. Why not blame NNPC and the majors? We don’t have access to FOREX for importation. The truth is that no marketer is working against the Nigerian government or against Nigerians, to prolong the suffering of the people. “If you don’t pay your bank, they cannot do any transaction with you. We are here to do business and not sabotage the government. The debt is affecting our credit rating all over the world and the government needs to pay off those debts.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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... With Apc it is now usual or normal .we are now waiting for their stories and excuses. Useless clueless and incompetent party and people. It is a shame.
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DeleteYou think all Nigerians are dumb of reasoning? I have seen this circulated and even video. All in an attempt to gain the sympathy of Nigerians for your failure and that of buhari. Is covering you irresponsibility the issue when majority of Nigerians are going through difficult times. Anyway , all these really shows you are short of ideas and not in control of situation. It pathetic Nigerians have to suffer all these for no just reason. 200 - 360 naira for fuel. Please tell the finance minister to check the inflation index. You people want to punish Nigerians and God will revert it to you and bless Nigerians. God save Nigeria and Nigerians
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