Black marketers in Kaduna are having a field day as a result of fuel scarcity in the state. Many filling stations are closed, a situation which has forced motorists to patronise the black market, where the product is sold for between N300 and N350 per litre.
Long queues of vehicles were seen at different black market spots on the outskirts of the city. Fuel scarcity has affected the price of transport fare , with passengers paying between N1,700 and N2000 to Abuja, a journey that cost N1,500 before scarcity.
Residents have been lamenting over the current hardship, with many calling on the government to find a solution.
But, National President of the Association of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON), Anthony Amitaye, said unless his members are “adequately engaged” in the distribution system of petroleum products, the current crisis would continue.
Abakaliki residents decry unofficial price hike.
Residents of Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State, have decried an unofficial hike in the price of a litre of petrol, which now sells between N165 to N180 at filling stations.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the sources appealed to relevant authorities to compel oil marketers to sell at the official pump price of N145 per litre, as transporters have capitalised on the increase to hike their fares.
A lawyer and civil rights activist, Clement Mbam, urged the Federal Government to direct relevant agencies charged with fixing, regulating and monitoring petroleum prices as well as the distribution of the commodity to ensure its availability.
“Government should compel petroleum marketers to sell the products at the approved price, through strict monitoring and supervision of sales at various filling stations.’’
Mr. Chris Elom, lecturer at the Department of Cooperative Economics, Ebonyi State University (EBSU), said people are going through difficult times as a result of the current economic hardship and urged government to address the crisis in the petroleum sector.
Meanwhile, 28 ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods have arrived Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos from yesterday to January 4, 2018.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stated this in its publication, “Shipping Position’,’ a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Lagos, yesterday.
NPA said the ships contained buck wheat, steel products, empty containers, frozen fish, bulk gas and bulk gypsum.
Other items in the consignment, according to the NPA, are bulk gas, bulk fertiliser, aviation fuel, ethanol, diesel, petrol and containers laden with goods.
Sources reported that six ships with bulk fertiliser, aviation fuel and petrol consignment are currently at Lagos ports, waiting to berth.