The lingering fuel scarcity which hit the nation two weeks ago has brought serious hardship to citizens in several areas.
Apart from hike in prices of commodity and transportation, people equally encounter other untold hardship such as sleeping at the filling stations, staying indoors, among others.
Speaking with BusinessDay on the ugly trend, Adebayo Olalekan, lamented that the situation is very bad.
“I just got black market of ten liters for N2,800 and yesterday I bought five liters for N 2,500.
“The government needs to assist the masses because when they say there is crisis in the society; things like this can be responsible for it. Go to Oshogbo, Offa and some country sides they are not suffering as we do in Ilorin.
“The money that can be used to buy 30 liters of fuel is what bought me ten liters. We are the ones facing the consequences, because government and their officials and even relatives have fuel in stock, we ordinary citizens are at the receiving end. So, government should do something and enforce price control.”
Oluwole Abdulrasheed, manager, Orange Global Oil Nigeria Limited, in Ilorin, Kwara State noted that “In my own view, everything lies with government, for now, the Lagos depot that sells fuel is expensive, our MD tried to buy in that price to satisfy the people but go slow blocked the tanker there to the extent that he could not get to the loading centre let alone come out with fuel and we have already paid, based on the information I received this morning; he is very far from the depot.
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“Our vehicle departed Ilorin since last week Wednesday when the MD observed that the remaining fuel will not be okay for the demand but up till Friday, we are still expecting the fuel.
“Although, the government is trying especially this Buhari regime, if we look at it critically, one will realise that fuel scarcity has reduced to the nearest minimum to say the fact, we usually experience this between December and January, but have been having it better; if not for the mismanagement that occurred, we will not be where we are now.
“My advise for the government, Department of Petroleum Regulation (DPR), and other relevant agencies in the oil sector is that they should act fast and ensure that those that are hoarding fuel are exposed and seriously dealt with.
“For Nigerians, we just have to be patient for the normalcy to return, and black marketers should fear God.”
A government official, who pleaded anonymity, explained that “The problem started with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), if they are up to the task and have been doing their work effectively, this will not have happened.
“What I see is that we don’t love ourselves in this country and keep blaming the government, and we failed to realise that we are all government. I learnt this morning that some fuel marketers load at N180 from Lagos, how will you expect someone who bought at that price will come and sell it N165? The person will definitely run at a shortage.
“There is a problem in demand and supply mechanism, I bought a liter early hour today at Ogbomosho at N185 and I asked why? The attendant said they bought it at N180.”
Ramoni Alaga, a concerned citizen, pleaded with those concerned to do the needful by coming to the citizens’ aid as he enjoined people to pray for peace and leaders to be successful.
Sarah Alao, a civil servant, also expressed displeasure with the situation, saying “It has not been easy at all. I packed my car for two days and today that I tried to get fuel is too costly, the black market is N400 per liter. I can’t afford it. I pray God see us through and bless Nigeria.”
Filling stations visited include; Sanrab, Bravo, Juniwad, Bekind, and Orange Oil Filling stations all in Tanke are locked. While Bovas at Kuntu area, and Ereola Peteoleum Ltd along Oko-Olowo area Ilorin opened and operated in a highly crowded service.
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