By Adewale Sanyaolu
Early hopes of the current fuel scarcity easing off appear dashed as Nigerians again woke up to the reality of petroleum product shortages in the New Year.
Indeed the New Year celebration for most Lagos residents was completely marred by the energy crisis as most homes ushered in the New Year without electricity and an acute fuel shortage.
In other parts of the country, Nigerians left their various worship centres in search of fuel for their vehicles and generators.
Findings by Daily Sun on New Year day revealed that most commuters spent their new year at filling stations with their families in their New Year attires.
One of the commuters, who identified himself as Tunji Lamikanra, said his community has been out of electricity supply for the past one week, and therefore going home without fuel to power his generator would make a mess of his family’s New Year celebration.
‘‘I am not discouraged by the long queues of vehicles because I have resolved to get the product no matter how long it takes. Going home without hope of power supply will ruin the New Year celebration because my children will not be in a happy mood,’’.
The development was further compounded yesterday as most motorists who opted to celebrate the New Year at home on Sunday trooped out on Monday to buy fuel under severe stress.
At the Mobil filling station at Abule Egba, it was a rowdy session as vehicular queues occupied major part of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway thus compounding the traffic situation on the stretch of the road.
Some of the motorists who spoke to Daily Sun expressed frustrations that the Federal Government and its relevant agencies could not find a lasting solution to the endless queues which has brought pain and anguish to Nigerians.
A motorist who simply identified himself as Fatai said the idea of starting the New Year with fuel queues across the country was huge sign of what waits the citizens in the new year.
A station manager at Ikeja who pleaded anonymity told Daily Sun that Nigerians should brace up for tougher times.
He said the fuel crisis would not go anytime soon, as governments’ attention is on the general election holding next month.
He lamented that agencies of the Federal Government saddled with the responsibility of resolving the crisis were all busy at their various constituencies strategising and fine-tuning modalities on how to garner votes for their respective candidates,
He maintained that the fuel scarcity will be there until January and beyond, when the incoming administration comes to deregulate prices.
National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mr. Mike Osatuyi, had in a telephone interview with Daily Sun last week, warned that the fuel scarcity across major parts of the country might linger into the New Year and beyond if urgent steps were not taken by the relevant authorities to address supply hicupps.
Osatuyi said a situation where supply underwhelms demand would naturally create the kind of challenges Nigerians are going through at the moment.
He reiterated that the only solution to the current crisis was for the Federal Government to deregulate the sector in order to enable more players to come into the industry.