Fuel Price Hits N100 In A/Ibom

The pump price of petrol jumped to N100 per litre from N65 in Uyo on Friday.

The hike in price, which is the first time in the last five months, is attributed to non-availability of the product in the state.

The Tide reports that there were long queues in the few filling stations with fuel as motorists resorted to panic buying for fear that the situation might become worse during the weekend.

Kerosene is also being sold for between N90 and N100, depending on the filling station.

However, there was no panic buying of diesel because the price of the product remained at N120 per litre.

Speaking with our correspondent on the situation, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Petroleum Matters, Chief Emmanuel Ibiok, blamed the situation on the withdrawal of service by members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in the state.

Ibiok said that he had been trying to reach the National President of NUPENG on the matter but there was no response from his end.

He said that trouble started when workers at a gas firm, Septa Energy, tried to join NUPENG and there was disagreement among them.

Ibiok expressed the hope that the national headquarters of NUPENG would  intervene in the crisis and persuade its members to resume supplies to Akwa Ibom.