Petrol scarcity bites harder

• Published date: 02 February 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

IPMAN: show us the 1.6b litres claim

NLC threatens sit-at-home

Protests in two states

Long queues arising from the scarcity of petrol persisted yesterday in Lagos metropolis.

The supply situation of the product remained unchanged as some filling stations were without the product. The few that sold in some instances, rationed the volume sold to motorists so that more people could get to buy.

In Lagos, while the NNPCL retail outlets maintained the new price of N184 per litre, the majors sold at N185 per litre, while the independent marketers sold at between N350 and N400 per litre.

The situation is gradually taking a toll on the traffic situation in the state. Aside from roads where filling stations are located, vehicular movement has become very free - a development that is based on either lack of fuel in motor tanks or the long hours spent at the filling stations.

In Enugu, motorists yesterday abandoned their vehicles and resorted to walking as the scarcity of petrol products bites harder in the state. A litre of petrol sold for between N460 and N500 in some filling stations where the product was available. It has also led to increase in the cost of transportation.

A car owner, Benson Ede, told our correspondent that he had to abandon his vehicle at home and walked to work. He added that he could not afford to pay more than double the amount paid last week as fare, hence his decision to walk.

In Delta State, there was protest across the major roads of Asaba and neighbouring communities over the fuel price hike to between N600 and N800. The angry youth, rights activists, motorists, and traders stormed Asaba, the state capital to protest, causing gridlock in major roads.

The protesters, who blocked the popular Onitsha/Asaba Expressway, demanded sanctions for bank managers in the state for hoarding the new naira notes, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to mediate between the fuel marketers and filling station operators to reduce the cost of the product.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), threatened to direct civil servants in the state to withdraw their services if the fuel crisis and its consequential transport fare hike continue next week.

The NLC State chairperson, Beatrice Itubo, said that the Union would not hesitate to ask its members to stay at home from next Monday if the situation remains unabated. 'If the situation does not improve by next week and workers...