Reactions As Fuel Queues Spread Across States Over Looming Price Hike

The unavailability of petrol at stations has led to the return of queues in different parts of the country.
 

According to Punch, motorists besieged the few outlets that were open for business in Abuja, Nasarawa, Niger and Borno states, while some others that had dispensed petrol the previous day were locked on Sunday.

Two weeks ago, queues of motorists were seen in many locations after oil marketers raised concerns about petrol pricing by depot owners and how this affected petroleum products supply.

 
The queues resurfaced on Saturday and Sunday, as most effective few filling stations had been meting out petrol whilst others were close.
 
Some attendants at a number of the close stores told one among our correspondents that they have been now not selling petrol because the fee of the product would be improved from March.
 
Nipco and Gegu filling stations, alongside the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway, Abuja, had lengthy queues of motorists on Sunday, whilst IBWAS filling station on the identical road that had in advance distributed products became close.
 
Similarly, Major Oil filling station, along Airport Road, Abuja, which had gradually dispensed merchandise up till Saturday, did not promote petrol on Sunday.
 
Shema Oil, close to Next Cash ‘N’ Carry in Abuja; NNPC outlet in Zuba, Niger State, and few other filling stations in Nyanya/Mararaba in Nasarawa State had queues.
 
“We have no longer been suggested of any growth in petrol rate. Many filling stations aren't promoting petrol perhaps due to the fact they've run out of stock or they're hoarding the product in anticipation of rate growth,” the National Operation Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Mike Osatuyi, said.
 
Osatuyi, who spoke with one in every of our correspondents, stated he discovered queues in some stations in Lagos on Sunday.
 
“The final results of the meeting between the President and the governors is not yet regarded. There will sincerely be an increase in petrol charge however we don’t realize when this can show up,” he brought.
 
In Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, motorists and different customers of petrol have been hit by means of shortage of petrol on Sunday as fuel stations have been close down.
 
Fuel stations located along essential highways, such as Kano Jos street, Shehu Laminu way and Baga road, have been no longer meting out petrol, whilst motorists queued for hours on the filling stations that were promoting the product.
 
Many commuters had been stranded at bus stops in Maiduguri as motorists struggled at filling stations to get petrol.

“They stated there is no gas but they promote to black marketers; they've refused to promote to us. I had been here due to the fact 6:45am because my enjoy yesterday (Saturday) become horrible as I couldn’t get gas. I’ve been right here for over 4 hours and I even have now not got the product,” a tricycle operator, Abubakar Shettima, instructed considered one of our correspondents.
 
When contacted, the Chairman, IPMAN, Borno, Mohammed Ngala, denied that unbiased entrepreneurs had been hoarding petrol, including that Borno were experiencing a shortage in current days.
 
“Right now, we promote petrol at N165-N170 in step with litre. But the product is not enough to serve the population. We don’t hoard gas,” he stated.
 
The Coalition of Nigerian Civil Society Organisations for Petroleum and Energy Security called on the Federal Government to fully decontrol the downstream oil quarter to cope with the issues about petroleum merchandise’ pricing.
 
The Convener of the CSOs coalition, Timothy Ademola, said they'd determined to interface with the Federal Government and companies within the oil region on the want for deregulation.
 
He said, “Let the forces of call for and supply be allowed to play out inside the pricing of petroleum merchandise. This is whilst we are able to say we've complete deregulation.

“We are equipped to accomplice government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Department of Petroleum Resources and different companies to make this paintings.”
 
The Managing Director, Realink Oil Nigeria Limited/National Public Relations Officer, IPMAN, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, had said in an interview with one in all our correspondents remaining week that depot proprietors had been hoarding merchandise because of the priority of a likely hike in petrol charge.
 
He said petrol fee could certainly rise, going through the growth in worldwide crude oil expenses.