Petrol scarcity bites harder in Abuja, Oyo, Yobe

From Uche Usim, Abuja, Adewale Sanyaolu and Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

Long queues continued at retail stations in Abuja, Damaturu and Ibadan in Yobe and Oyo states respectively despite assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the availability of petrol for consumers in the country.
Daily Sun checks on Monday revealed that more independent oil marketers had their filling stations shut, on claims of being out of stock.
Some petrol station managers who spoke on condition of anonymity said their tankers have been stationed at loading depots with no product to lift.
Their position was at variance with that of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which said it has 40-day petrol sufficiency, while urging Nigerians to shun panic buying.
NNPC had also warned marketers to avoid creating artificial scarcity by hoarding the product.
However, the situation was better on Sunday as a good number of filling stations, both NNPC-owned and private marketers operated.
On Monday, over 70per cent of operational retail outlets were NNPC mega stations, which are very few. This caused horrendous traffic snarl around the Abuja metropolis.
The situation was not any better along the airport road as the few stations that sold petrol were swamped by scores of vehicles and frustrated drivers.
Black market dealers latched on the scathing development to fleece impatient motorists by selling a 10-litre jerrycan of petrol at N4,000, translating to N400/litre.
For a driver buying up to 50 litres of petrol, the illegal petrol vendors could sell a litre at a discounted price of N350.
Lamenting, a motorist, Wale Dotun said: “I woke up around 6am to begin search for petrol.
Most stations around Kubwa were under lock and key. I decided to head to town. It’s the same scenario.
“How can a crude oil producing country subject her citizens to this inhumane treatment? Is N163/litre not enough for them?”, She lamented.
More so, scores of commuters were stranded as many taxi and bus drivers were trapped at petrol stations as they struggled to refill their vehicles’ tanks.
The few that operated hiked their fares, claiming to have purchased petrol from black market dealers.
Fares of N200 were jerked up to N400. Many who could not afford that had to trek some distance to reduce the fare.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has foreclosed any increment in the ex-depot price of petrol in March.
The announcement, contained in a press release signed by its Spokesman, Dr Kennie Obateru, puts to bed speculations of an imminent increase in the pump price of petrol in the country.
Obateru noted that the Corporation ruled out a petrol price hike in March in order not to jeopardise ongoing engagements with organised labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship.
It further called on relevant regulatory authorities to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in products hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price.
In Lagos the queues which surfaced in major parts of Lagos on Sunday continued yesterday with motorists seen in some filling stations.
The development contradicts the assurances given by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Sunday evening that the Corporation  has enough stock of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for over 40 days and urged motorists to avoid panic buying.
Daily Sun findings across the Lagos metropolis revealed that the long queues were not observed in all the filling stations as some recorded fewer number of vehicles.
On the other hand, some filling stations were not dispensing the products but had their gates locked.
At the NNPC mega station on College Road in Ogba and Enyo filling station at Fagba Bus Stop on Iju Road Agege, yesterday morning, Daily Sun observed that fuel was not being dispensed to customers
On the other hand, both Total and Oando filling stations close to the Governor’s Office in Alausa with products had fewer numbers of motorists to sell to.
The situation was however different  and rowdy at the Mobil filling station in Ogba around 2.45pm yesterday afternoon as long queues of vehicles waiting in line to get their fuel tanks filled dotted the stretch of road.
Some of the motorists who spoke to Daily Sun expressed concern over the sudden appearance of fuel  queues which they say was not the best for the economy and that of struggling SMEs.
They urged the Federal Government to fix the nation’s refineries and save the country from the persistent embarrassing situation of having to contend with fuel queues.
NNPC in a statement on Sunday evening said contrary to speculations of imminent increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in the country, the cCrporation ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of petrol in March, 2021.
In Damaturu, Yobe State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit hit the state capital on Monday hit Damaturu, the capital of Yobe, as oven seven station had were shut down.
The stations visited by NAN along Potiskum Road included Total, AP and Hesen Petrol Station, while the only station visited at Gashua Road was Sedan Petrol Station. Also shut down at Gujiba Road were MB Maidoki Oil Nig. Ltd, AA Abuja and Sons Nig. Ltd and Dumburga Petroleum Ltd.
When contacted, Alhaji Kawu Hussaini, State Chairman, NUPENG, Petrol Station Workers (PSW) denied the allegations that filling stations were hoarding their products.
“We rely on trucks that a billed for NNPC Depot, Maiduguri, ” he said.
The chairman also called on the Federal Government to establish more depots in the country for availability of petroleum products.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, many commuters were stranded on Sunday and Monday as they had to trek long distances to their various destinations as a result of fuel scarcity. There were fewer vehicles on the road and the excruciating traffic snarl associated with the General Gas Area of Akobo, Aleshinloye/Railway Junction, Mokola Roundabout, Adamasingba, Dugbe, Sango Poly Junction, Amuoloko, Olorunsogo, Akanran, Orita-Aperin, and Elekuro, disappeared on Monday morning.
A drive round Ibadan revealed that fuel black market has returned to Ibadan. People selling the commodity in gallons were sighted at Sabo area of Mokola on Monday. Majority of major and independent marketers of PMS had their gates closed against the public.

Some fuel stations dispensed the commodity at N62 per litre, while it went for between N165 and 200 in some other stations. It went for about N250 and N300 in the black market. A five-litre keg of PMS went for about N1,500 around Mokola. Motorists that could not withstand the rigorous queue at a few filling stations, went for the black market.
Commissioner for Public Work and Transportation in Oyo State, Prof Dawud Sangodoyin, has described the fuel scarcity currently being experienced in Ibadan as artificial scarcity. He alleged that many of the major and independent marketers have the commodity, but are only hoarding it.

This is coming as the Oyo State Government on Monday asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to sanction marketers hoarding petroleum products in the state.
The State Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, Prof. Daud Sangodoyin, who made the call in Ibadan, said the sight of long queues of vehicles in some filling stations in Ibadan was unacceptable.

Sangodoyin said there was no basis for the queues at fuel stations, which started to surface on Sunday.
“Some filling stations in Ibadan are not selling fuel to motorists while those selling are experiencing long queues now causing traffic gridlock in some parts of the metropolis.
“As government, we are doing all we can to make life easy for the people of Oyo state and this is reflected in the number of infrastructural projects around the state.
“For some people to be creating artificial scarcity of fuel for unknown reasons is wrong and inhuman.
“DPR should, as a matter of urgency, swing into action and arrest the situation,” the commissioner said.

Fuel scarcity: Commuters stranded at bus stops in Oyo
From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Many commuters were stranded on Sunday and Monday as they had to trek long distances to their various destinations as a result of fuel scarcity. There were fewer vehicles on the road and the excruciating traffic snarl associated with the General Gas Area of Akobo, Aleshinloye/Railway Junction, Mokola Roundabout, Adamasingba, Dugbe, Sango Poly Junction, Amuoloko, Olorunsogo, Akanran, Orita-Aperin, and Elekuro, disappeared on Monday morning.

A drive round Ibadan revealed that fuel black market has returned to Ibadan. People selling the commodity in gallons were sighted at Sabo area of Mokola on Monday. Majority of major and independent marketers of PMS had their gates closed against the public.

Some fuel stations dispensed the commodity at N62 per litre, while it went for between N165 and 200 in some other stations. It went for about N250 and N300 in the black market. A five-litre keg of PMS went for about N1,500 around Mokola. Motorists that could not withstand the rigorous queue at a few filling stations, went for the black market.
Commissioner for Public Work and Transportation in Oyo State, Prof Dawud Sangodoyin, has described the fuel scarcity currently being experienced in Ibadan as artificial scarcity. He alleged that many of the major and independent marketers have the commodity, but are only hoarding it.

“On Saturday, we drove round Ibadan and filling stations were dispensing fuel. But it was surprising that on Sunday, they stopped dispensing. And the situation went worse on Monday. I know that Governor Seyi Makinde is not happy about what is happening. This issue concerns everybody. And anything that will bring hardship to the people, the governor will not tolerate it.

“But if the taskforce of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) can do their work, things will change. I am sure that Oyo State Government will also take some steps towards ensuring that things return to normal.”