Fuel: Reason Behind Petrol Scarcity Revealed

Commuters and motorist have expressed their frustration over the scarcity of fuel that is presently plaguing the country.

Motorists who reside in Abuja stated that they had to wake up as early 4am to get fuel while others alleged that some of the filling stations only sold at night.

A taxi driver, Mallam Umar Ibrahim said that he spent over four hours at the filling station.

A bus driver, Mr Andy Onyia explained that the reason for the increase in the price of bus fare was the fuel pump price hike, maintaining that they now buy petrol for between N200 and N210 per litre.

Some cargoes of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, which some members of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) paid for last December are yet to arrive.

A member of the association who spoke on the ground of anonymity told NAN that the association has refused to sell to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) because of their stock was not enough for outsiders.

“We are selling what NNPC is giving to us. We are loading. The issue is that some of this fuel that we load today was paid for in December. It was paid for with a bank loan.

“There was a projection in the bank loan. The projection was that you are to receive the product by the middle of January and pay back in January.

“So, who pays for the interest between when we were supposed to have paid back and today?”

Another source also stated the reason they were not selling to IPMAN, the source said: “It makes sense if I have 100 stations to concentrate on my stations rather than selling to any other person.

” If I don’t sell to them (IPMAN) and they want to blackmail me, they can say anything. I will not load and be selling to IPMAN and leave my stations dry.”

“If you see any private station selling above N165 let me know. I will tell you it is not a DAPPMAN station.

“There is no DAPPMAN station that is selling above N165/litre. So, anybody who is claiming we are selling above ex-depot, we are simply concentrating on our own stations.

“But the point is that if you can drive into any petrol station between 15 minutes and buy your fuel, will you go and patronise jerry cans outside?

“The bottom line is NNPC should bring the product in and all these queues and allegations will disappear.”