AS the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as fuel or petrol lingers, the product now sells for between N198 and N200 in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States against the official pump price of N165.
As of yesterday, long queues of motorists waiting to buy the product from some filling stations that had supplies were seen in the Lagos metropolis, as more filling stations complained of short supply.
Roving through Lasu-Isheri, Igando-Ikotun, Ikotun-Isolo-Mushin roads respectively this morning, NaijaTimes observed that the bus stops were crowded by stranded commuters, who were also agitated by the skyrocketing fares charged by transporters.
The same was the situation at Iyana-Ipaja, Egbeda, Dopemu, Agege, Ikeja along, Oshodi, Anthony, Charly Boy, Gbagada, Iyana-Oworo.
The Western Zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the development on the lack of fuel at depots of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), as private depots reportedly hiked prices to N178 per litre as against N145.
IPMAN chairman for the zone, Dele Tajudeen had on Tuesday said that it was practically impossible for its members to continue to sell at N175/180 per litre. His words: “None of the NNPCL depots has petrol. Private depots took advantage of the situation to hike the price. The only option for our members is to opt for private depots to keep our business moving.
“We are totally against the increase because it will affect our profit margins and the masses. Some private depots who have the product, deliberately, refused to sell for reasons best known to them.”
Tajudeen called on Nigerians to absolve his members of any blame in pump price increase “because buying at N178 per litre from depots and selling at N170 or N180/litre is not realistic,” he said.
“Our members have no other option than to sell between N195 and N200 per litre within Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states. We will sell between N200 and N210 in Kwara, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti states.
“Most of the tank farm owners have justified the increase because of different charges, among which are vessel charges paid in dollars. We are equally calling on the management of the NNPCL and NMDPRA to investigate the arbitrary increase in fuel price by the private depot owners,” he added.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) insists that there is enough fuel to last 24 days.
A report on its website titled, “Petroleum Products Stock and Days of Sufficiency Data” shows that 1,546,880,583 litres of fuel were available.
An official of the Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria blamed the scarcity on a shortfall in product allocation from the NNPCL.
Sources said lifting petrol by even NNPCL franchise filling stations has been challenging in the last five days.
A station manager of an NNPCL filling station along Isheri-Lasu Road in Lagos told NaijaTimes that he had not been able to get petrol for his station for five days.
He said, “For five days now, I have been parading the depot to lift fuel but to no avail. Besides, prices have been increased at private depots because since my station is under NNPCL, we cannot increase pump prices without a directive.
“I can’t also go to any private depot to buy because I won’t be able to sell at the regulated price by NNPCL,” he added.
Some commuters who spoke to NaijaTimes, lamented the hike in transport fares for various locations in the state, as the fare went up by 50 to 100 percent in some routes.
Saidi Oyekanmi, an auto mechanic, resident in Isuti-Egan who was on his way to Alaguntan auto spare parts market in Ipaja area of the state but stranded at the Igando bus stop told our Correspondent that before the fuel scarcity, N500 could take him to and from the market but now he is spending about N1500 for the same route.
He said, “From my workshop on Isuti Road to Igando before was N100 for okada and N50 for keke Marwa but not okada is N200 while Marwa is N100. Everything in the country is in disarray. It is only God Almighty that can solve our problem.”
A certain Moyin Biliaminu who was on way to Ikotun enroute Cele Express to Tincan where she works said, “Between Monday and yesterday, I have spent about about N5,000 on T-fare. This is excluding other costs.. How is my salary?”
“Nigeria is distressed, and we like inflicting pains on ourselves. At the slightest of news of fuel scarcity prices of commodities, especially transport will be hiked. Everybody is now japa. Afi suru,” she added.
At Ikotun roundabout, transporters with LT 38 buses were heard shouting “Toyota-Oshodi enter with your N500”, which hitherto was N300, while Keke Marwa from the same bus stop to Canoe in Oke-Afa boundary between Ejigbo znd Ajao Estate that was N300 is now N400, just as Danfo buses that charged N300 before now charges N500 to Okota-Cele Express.
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