FUEL scarcity being experienced in most parts of the country has resulted in a sharp increase in pump price of the product in Iseyin Area of Oyo, from the official price of N87 per liter, to N250.
A survey by our correspondent yesterday indicated that while most of the filling stations in the town were closed due to non-availability of the product, the few that had it sold it for N240 to N250 per litre.
The hike in the product which has also left motorists in Benin City spending quality time at filling stations is enduring even as the Major Oil Marketers in the country on Friday announced the suspension of their strike action over issues of unpaid subsidy claims they had with the Federal Government.
Not withstanding the suspension of the strike action, long queues pervaded the few filling stations in Ugbowo/Oluku, Airport Road, Ekehuan Road and Akpakpava etc, that had the products to dispense with not a few of them selling above the official pump price of N87.00 per litre.
Some motorists, interviewed in Benin and Iseyin, described the development as “unfortunate”, saying government should find a lasting solution to the problem.
Mr. Osagie Iyamu expressed surprise that the scarcity father than abating was worsening by each passing day.
Olorunwa Emmanuel, an Iseyin resident said he spent over four hours at a filing station to buy the product at exorbitant price.
“I woke up as early as possible and got to Temitope filing station at about 6 am, only to buy fuel four hours later at N240 per litre.
“The situation is worrisome and highly frustrating; I hope the incoming government will find a lasting solution, “he said.
Another vehicle owner, Saburi Ikotun, said he hoped that the marketers would start importing the product since the Federal Government had announced that it had settled their entitlements.
“There must be an end to this recurring problem of fuel scarcity. It is unfortunate that an oil producing country like Nigeria is battling with this problem, “he said.Other motorists who spoke also expressed dismay over the development.
As at Saturday, only three petrol stations were selling the product in the town.
The situation was not different in Ibadan, with long queues dotting the few filling stations where the product is available.
A tour of the metropolis showed that the scarcity had also led to a hike in the price of the product which sold for between N120 and N150 per litre in some filling stations while it was being sold for about N500 per litre in some black market outlets with the attendant hike in transport fares in most transport routes in Ibadan.
Reports indicated that the fare to Lagos by taxi, which used to be N1,250 is now between N1,500 and N2,000.
Similarly, the same trip by bus which used to cost N800 is now between 1,300 and N1,500 depending on final destination in Lagos.
In Awka, capital city of Anambra and it’s environs Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) sold for between N110 and N120 per litre yesterday.
Our Correspondent who monitored the situation over the weekend reported that most filling stations in the town including the popular NNPC Mega Station at Amawbia, did not have the product.
Speaking an attendant who identified herself as Nnenna, in one of the filling stations around Aroma, said they had not had the product for two days since they ran out of stock.
Nnenna said she was not sure when the next stock would be delivered but assured that the management was making serious contacts to ensure motorists got fuel especially now that the major oil marketers have called off their strike.
But Mr. Olakunle Ogunlana, the Operation Controller, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Ibadan who volunteered to speak, said the current scarcity would soon fizzle out.
Recall that the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had given an assurance that the issue would be resolved soon.
There had been scarcity of petrol at fuel stations across the country due to protest by oil marketers over non payments of their claims.
The Federal Government, however, on Thursday paid the sum of N156 billion to the oil marketers in a bid to tackle the scarcity.

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