By Olaotan Falade
…Nigerians groan as scarcity bites harder
…product now sells for N180 – N185 per litre
…as black marker sellers resurfaces on major highways
Most Nigerians were relieved on Monday when news filtered in that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its planned nationwide strike scheduled to commence on Monday.
The decision to suspend the strike came after the intervention of the Director of the State Security Service, SSS, Lawan Daura, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu.
PENGASSAN had earlier alleged anti-labour practices against some of its members by some indigenous oil companies, one of which it identified as Neconde Energy Limited.
Prior to the meeting, the oil workers had issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the government to intervene over allegations of anti-workers’ practices perpetrated against some of its members working in Neconde Energy Limited.
The umbrella body of senior workers in the oil and gas industry had accused the management of Neconde Energy Limited of wrongful termination of the employment of some of its workers who belong to PENGASSAN.
However, before the botched strike by PENGASSAN, there has been a scarcity of the product for over two weeks earlier.
Nigerians had thought of the possibility of another fee hike by the Federal Government and had resulted in panic buying.
This caught the attention of the Federal Executive Council members on Wednesday, December 6 and they dispelled the rumour, insisting that scarcity of the product will end before that weekend.
The FEC meeting for that week was presided over by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as President Muhammadu Buhari was on a working visit to Kano State that day.
Two weeks down the line, the queues are still visible and some filling stations have even remained under lock and key since then.
Not done with the promises of ending the scarcity, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu again reiterated last Thursday during the National Executive Council meeting chaired by the Vice President that the scarcity will end in forty hours (48hrs).
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obasaki, said, “The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources assured council that within the next 48hours fuel supply will be restored nationwide because there is enough fuel in our strategic reserves and the ministry has released fuel from these reserves and it expects distribution will reach all parts of the country within the next 48hours.”
However, despite all the harvest of promises of ending the scarcity, Nigerians are yet to feel the impact as the product has continually remained scarce and expensive.
A visit by TheNewsGuru.com to some popular cities in Lagos did not prove otherwise.
Queues in most of the filling stations visited extended to the main road, therefore, causing gridlock for other road users. A frustrated man who identified himself as John in one of the filling stations visitied told TheNewsGuru.com that he has been on the queue for over ten hours and the hope of getting the product is dim.
In his words: ‘I’ve been here since 5 am. We heard they are selling and I quickly drove down thinking I will be the only one. Unfortunately, some other people have been sleeping here for days and the crowd was just unbelievable. Since then, they have been selling intervals and at a very expensive rate too. Those that bought said they dispensed for them at N180:00; others said they sold for N170:00. I’m not sure how much it will be dispensed if it eventually gets to my turn,” John said sounding tired and frustrated.
TheNewsGuru.com also noticed that some black market sellers have resurfaced on major highways. In some areas visited, a five-litre jerry sold for as much as N1, 500 – N2, 000. When asked why it was so expensive, one of the traders who was obviously making cool business said: ‘If you know what we went through before getting just a litre, you won’t care even if we sold this five-litre jerry can for N5, 000.
However, majority of the filling stations were locked. When TheNewsGuru.com enquired, they answered that they were out of stock and were expecting supplies. However, anonymous sources in the area confirmed to TheNewsGuru.com that they sell at night above the recommended price (of N145 per litre) to motorist and other buyers.
Efforts by TheNewsGuru.com to reach the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the National President of PENGASSAN, Francis Johnson for comments were unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.