Fuel scarcity: No respite yet

THE hope of Nigerians to drive leisurely into filling stations,
refill the tanks of their vehicles without hassles and pay
government approved price has not been completely realised
despite the minister’s April 7 assurance.
Dr. Ibe Kachikwu had last month pledged that the perennial
fuel scarcity would be a thing of the past by yesterday night.
But at press time, from Ebonyi in the South East to Jigawa and
Kano in the North West, Adamawa in the North East to Rivers
and Edo in the South, Abuja the FCT and Nasarawa, Benue
and Kogi in the North Central, it has remained a tale of pain
woes and gnashing of teeth as the scarcity noose tightens, as
a litre of fuel sells for between N160 and N500.
“Enugu, roads are becoming empty as only a few motorists
can afford to buy fuel at the current price of N250 a litre.
Fares have gone up by over 200 per cent just as the scarcity
has affected prices of food and other items.
Most civil servants now trek to work while bicycles are
returning as alternative means of transport.
In Sokoto State, the acute shortage has crippled both
economic and social activities.
Price goes for between N250 to N350 per litre, resulting in
high cost of transportation fares.
As at yesterday, only the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) mega station in Port Harcourt that had
fuel.
Black marketers, who have it sell for N500 per litre both within
and without Kaduna, the state capital.
In Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, fuel was being sold between
N250 and N270 per litre in the few fuel stations that opened
for business.
In Edo State the NNPC mega station on Sapele Road, which

had no petrol since last week Saturday, yesterday began
selling at N86 per liter while independent marketers sell for
between N210 and N230.
The situation has remained chaotic in Katsina as motorists
scramble to buy the product for between N195 and N203 a
litre while at the black market, a gallon sells for between
N1200 and N1400.
In Jigawa, all the filling station except the NNPC mega-station
have remained shut.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC)
patrolling the capital and other major cities to stop black
market who are selling the fuel at N300 per litre.
In Yenagoa and its environs, filling stations are selling for
N200 per litre. Investigations revealed that the state petroleum
tax force chairman Okosikeme Emmanuel has concluded
plans with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to
enforce the petrol price in the state.
In Asaba, the capital of Delta State, acute shortage has
persisted as most retail outlets bearing the ‘No fuel’ sign.
In most of the stations along major roads of Nnebisi, Summit,
Anwai, Dennis Osadebey, yesterday, the product was being
sold for N210 per litre.
The scarcity has resulted in hike in transport fares in Asaba as
commercial tri-cyclists popularly called Keke and taxis have
increased their fares.
A litre of fuel is still being sold for between N200 and N250 in
Abuja while taxi fares have gone up to between N500 and
N600 depending on the distance.
Meanwhile most areas in Abuja have been witnessing terrible
blackout as power generation has dropped. Most people could
not power their generating set as a result of lack of petrol.