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Nigerians groan as fuel scarcity paralyses the nation

The scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called fuel has really imposed a burden on the lives of many Nigerians recently, as it is affecting their day-to-day activities.

ENCOMIUM Weekly visited some of the filling stations where we had a chat with some anticipating customers and managers of the filling stations. They gave their views on the causes and effects of fuel scarcity on their businesses.  Here are their responses…

 

‘Government should invest in private owners and depot’- CHIEF BODE OJO, NNPC, Fagba

Fuel is at the control price of N86.50, it is not easy at all. I have been under the sun for like five hours now. We have been hearing stories, some say it is the independent marketers, others said NNPC. We don’t know the truth. I want to advice the government that we have private owners and depots. They should invest in them and benefit in times like this.

 

‘We go to miles to get fuel’

-OLUWATOBILOBA ENITAN, Oando Filling Station, Agege

I didn’t get any fuel at all. Even if they sell for N200, we can buy, but there’s none at all. They fight to get fuel, even involving the police, we go to miles to get fuel. i am frustrated. People are trying to spoil President Buhari’s regime. It is not nice. Yes, we voted for change, but we are not seeing the effect. It is nothing to write home about.

 

‘The so-called managers don’t just want to sell’ -ADEOYE, Oando Filling Station, Agege

They are selling for N100 per litre. We have been on queue for long. The so-called fuel managers don’t want to sell. Sometimes they only give flimsy excuses that loading has started at the depot. Government should come to our rescue.

 

‘I have been under the sun for hours’ -OMOLOLU, Eterna Filling Station, Agege

They are selling at N100 per litre. I have been under the sun. Even before I got here, I have been going round to see where and how I can get fuel, but through some contact, I was able to get information that they are selling fuel here and that’s why I just came here.

My car is parked outside and it has not moved from where it is, but the jerry cans, as far as I am concerned are moving now.

 

‘I followed the normal procedure’ -DJ SOJI, Eterna Filling Station, Agege

We got fuel at N100 per litre. I was meant to use chance, but I followed the normal procedure and I am on the queue. There should be importation of fuel to make it go round. Everything will be fine. I will advice to NNPC sell to petroleum dealers to allow the petrol go round and government should find solution to it.

 

‘They only sell for cars, they don’t sell in kegs’ -MARY, Eterna Filling Station, Agege

They sell fuel at N100. Since morning I have been looking for fuel. Early in the morning around 8am, I went to NNPC at Fagba. They were calling big men with cars and gave supervisors money to get them fuel, ignoring those on the queue. I was really angry and left. I later went to Fawobi at Fagba. Those ones said they can only sell for cars. They didn’t sell in kegs. The government should please find solution to this because this is not their promise to us.

 

‘They did not open gate for us’ -JOHN, PM Oil, Gudugba, Ishaga

The cost of fuel here is N100. It is not easy to get fuel. I have been here since 4pm and this is 7:36pm. They didn’t open the gate for us. They only said we should wait and we have been waiting. They have fuel and they are not even ready to sell.

 

‘We are losing so many productivity time’ – OJO, Eterna Filling Station, Agege

I got the fuel at N86.50. I have been here for 40 minutes waiting for fuel. We are losing so much production time. I should be at my office working, but I am here looking for fuel. I have lost so many production time.

 

‘We are in the era of change’ TUNDE, MEK Filling Station

We are buying fuel at normal price. Since morning around 7, I have been here. They said we are in the era of change, but the change is not coming. Only God will help us in this country.

 

‘We have not seen the change’ – ENGR. CHRISTIAN OKECHUKWU, NNPC Filling Station, Fagba

The cost of fuel is N86.50 per litre. They are making it easy for us here. Everybody is buying accordingly in this station, but the queue is much. Buhari said change, but we have not seen the change. The government should just find solution.

 

‘The stress is too much’ – AUSTINE KELECHI, NNPC Filling Station, Fagba

I don’t really know the cost of fuel but people have been on queue. If government is aware of what is happening there will be a solution to this, because the stress is too much. They should help us and do something about this.

 

‘Some people lost their jobs’ – TOYIN, NNPC Filling Station, Fagba

I got fuel at the normal price of N86.50 per litre, but one has to queue under the sun. I heard some people (distributors) lost their jobs. I think this is the cause of the scarcity. They should get more distributors.

 

‘I have been here for six hours’ – VICTOR

Fuel here is sold at N100 per litre. I am really tired right now because I’ve been here for six hours, standing under the sun just to get fuel.

The solution to this is in the hands of the government. They know what to do. We don’t have work, just to see fuel and drive to feed our family, see what is happening now.

 

‘The pump is not okay’ – EMEKA, Conoil, Orimolade, Ifako

I bought fuel at normal price, N86.50, but the pump is not okay. The measurement is bad. I used to fill my tank with N6,500 but I used N7,000 plus to fill it now. We voted for change but now they are chaining us.

I’ve been here for two hours. The government should rise up.

 

‘I bought five litres for N800’ -SHALEWA, PM Filling Station, Gudugba

They are selling at N100 per litre, but I got mine at N800 for five litres from an okada man since the attendants won’t sell to those of us with jerry cans.

I’ve been here for the past three hours, but thank God I got it at last. Those in power should come to our rescue.

 

‘Government should stop taking our money abroad’ -THOMPSON YEMISI, AP Filling Station, Agege

The price of fuel now is N100 and we even struggle to get it at times. The government should provide more fuel instead of carrying our money abroad.

 

‘They sold five litres for N1,500’ -BOLA, AP Filling Station

The fuel price now is N110 per litre, but we buy from black market, it’s N1,500 for five litres. It is not very easy to get it. In fact, I’ve seen hell in this filling station. People are fighting. We are being chased here and there. Our president should do something about it because we can’t continue like this.

 

‘People have been on queue under the hot sun’ -ANITA, Total Filling Station

I don’t have the idea about the fuel price because I just came here. All I know is that people have been under the sun struggling to get fuel.

I am not a Nigerian, I am a Ghanaian but I think the scarcity is as a result of poor governance. The government should try and find a lasting solution to it.

 

‘They charge N100 for generator tank’ – AISHAT FOLORUNSHO, PM Filling Station, Erudugba

I bought fuel at N100 per litre but they collected N100 extra charge for the generator tank. They refused to sell to those with jerry cans and that is why most people brought their generators and fuel tanks.

I’ve been here with my baby since 9:30am. It’s 7pm now, I am just leaving. The government should just please come to our rescue, it’s getting too much.

 

‘Thugs will collect N100 before we can enter’ – ANITA, Eterna Filling Station, Agege

The fuel is sold at N120 per litre here. The thugs will collect N100 before we can enter and when you get to the attendant, they will collect N100 extra charge. We’ve been on the queue for hours just to get fuel.

 

‘You must know how to box to get fuel’ – OLUMIDE, Yerevan Oil, Rogo, Ishaga

I was unable to get fuel here at Yerevan Oil, but when I bought it yesterday at one newly opened filling station at Gudugba, they sold it at N86.50 per litre. But earlier this morning at Lado Oil, along Agbado Road, they sold at N120 per litre.

It is not easy at all. You must know how to box to get fuel and also be ready to queue for hours. I don’t really know the cause of the scarcity. The system you are into, you can’t say much about it.

 

‘If there is supply we would sell’ – ADESHOLA MAJER, manager, Total Filling Station, Pen Cinema, Agege

We sell at N86.50 but we don’t have fuel. If there is fuel, you will see queue. Am I the government? I am not in charge of supply, but government.

When we are supplied, we sell, but when Total doesn’t supply to us, we just sit down and fold our hands. It is affecting us because there is no market and cars are parked everywhere. They have turned the station into garage. My own is to receive the product and dispense it.

 

‘We are independent marketers’ – TOLU, manager, AP Filling Station

We sell at the normal price, but we don’t have fuel now because we are expecting our dealers soon. The scarcity is from the social media. There is this protest from the so-called depot dealers, probably some certain decisions of the government about a new policy which is not suitable to them. I don’t know if NNPC is on strike. We are independent marketers, but they are on strike, they have their reasons.

 

‘I don’t want to be your source’ – AYOMI, manager, Eterna Filling Station, Agege

We sell at the normal price of N86.50, as you can see the crowd here. I would stop talking here, I don’t want to be your source. I can’t say anything. Thank you.

 

‘Maybe it’s because of the rise in dollar’ -JULIUS CHARLES, manager, Oando Filling Station, Elliot, Iju-Ishaga

We sell at N86 per litre. The cause of the scarcity may be as a result of the rise in dollar exchange rate. I am not aware of the NNPC strike. I only manage this place, I am not the director. They only bring fuel for me and I sell.

 

‘The whole station is dry’ -YUSUF, manager, NNPC Filling Station at Jungle, Agege

We sell fuel at N86.50 per litre. We don’t know the cause of the scarcity, we are just expecting fuel. This is affecting our business because the whole station is dry. It is only when we are selling fuel that everything will be moving, but now, we are just sitting down doing nothing.

 

‘Government is in charge’ – DARAMOLA, manager, NNPC Filling Station, Fagba

Don’t let me tell you the price, go to the dispenser yourself and look at the price. It is N86 per litre. I don’t’ have any view but government is in charge.

  • ALIMI SHUKURAT, OKORIE CHIKA and KAREEM AZEEZAT
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