Scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol, hit Lagos, Anambra states and other parts of the country on Wednesday as long queue of vehicles were seen at various filling stations.
According to Daily Post report, while some of the independent marketers claimed that petrol was not available for sale, some that were selling sold the product at the rate of N120 per litre rather than the official pump price of N87.
It was gathered that some filling stations at Iyana-Ejigbo area on Wednesday, they were under lock and keys while others were selling at high price.
When this reporter tried to inquire from one of the fuel attendants, she simply replied, ‘go and ask Buhari’.
A motorcyclist, who gave his name as Oriade complained bitterly that he managed to buy five litres from black marketers for N700.
“Bro, I just bought five litres for N700 around Chris Idowu. This sudden fuel scarcity is annoying.
“I have gone to all the filling stations around Ejigbo here but no one is selling. Even the people selling are killing us with price, aside the queue”, she said.
Oriade called on the federal government to do something about it before it went out of control.
In Awka, the Anambra State capital, the pump price goes for between N110 and N115 in the city and its environs.
TheStreetReporters.com gathered on Wednesday that most filling stations had “no fuel” sign placed at their gates while a few that had the product had long queues of vehicles.
“This scarcity, coming when Nigerians are expecting a reduction in official pump price and getting used to the regular price, is uncalled for. The economy is already crunchy and we can’t afford another pain”, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted a resident.
Mr Benjamin Abimaje, Manager at Femas Service Station, Awka, said there was no product because of “the sudden outrageous increase in loading cost.’’
Abimaje said he had applied for product for some days now but the increase in price and scarcity at the depot in Lagos had made it impossible for them to get loaded.
“We do not have fuel. The cost is high at the depot and when you add other charges, it may not land at less than N98.
“It is also biting us because we are not selling, no profit; yet we are incurring loss, we hope it normalises soon”, he said.
Chief Ikechukwu Nwankwo, Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Enugu zone, said the scarcity was real.
Nwankwo told NAN that loading at Port Harcourt depot was ebbing while lots of trucks were on queue at the Lagos depots where the zone largely depended on.
He said marketers were undergoing difficult times in their efforts to make products available.
“I can confirm to you that there is no PMS now, the pump price increase is only natural because landing cost at the station is now between N95 and N99, the NNPC on its part does not have products.
“Marketers are having problems with funds because most times, government does not remit their part and even when they do, it comes late.
Also, the interests to banks eat up our profits. The government has role to play to ensure we come out of this problem”, he said.
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