Kerosene Scarcity Hits Calabar, Enugu

Acute scarcity of kerosene has hit Calabar and Enugu, our correspondent reports.

The residents of the two cities told our correspondent they were yet to feel the impact of the 25,000 metric tonnes of kerosene so far released by the NNPC.

Checks by  showed that most all the filling stations in the two cities did not have kerosene.

Even the NNPC Mega Station along the Muritala Mohammed Highway in Calabar, known for regular supply of petroleum products, has gone short of supply.

Mrs Ijeoma Nkume, a restaurant operator in Calabar, told our correspondent that she was disturbed by the scarcity of the product and its high price, where available.

“I am not happy at all because I spend so much on kerosene. It is hard to find the product and when you find it, the cost is usually high, “ she said.

She said that her situation was compounded by the fact that she was not permitted to use firewood in her compound.

“That means I must use kerosene to cook for my restaurant business,” she said.

Grace Ekpenyong, another resident in Calabar, said: “I have been visiting filling stations in my neighbourhood for the past three days but there is no kerosene.

“Throughout the period of the Federal Government’s directive, kerosene was available but just after some days the product has vanished,” she said.

Ekpenyong said that surface tank dealers were now selling the product at between N200 and N250 per litre.

The shortage of kerosene has compelled some households in Enugu to resort to use of firewood and sawdust.

The situation has not gone down well with some landlords, who have advised their tenants against using firewood for fear of fire outbreak.

Mrs Monica Onuoha, a firewood vendor, told our correspondent that the cost of transportation and cost of felling trees as well as off loading had led to higher prices of firewood.

“Before now, I spent about N20, 000 to source for firewood to re-sell, including the cost transporting and offloading them, but now it costs me about N25, 000.

“Those who cut the trees have also increased their fees because the price of gas and transportation have increased.

“In the past, I pay between N10, 000 and N13, 000 to transport firewood from Ugwogo-Nike to Coal Camp, but now I pay about N15,000.

“This has affected the price as logging of three pieces of firewood now cost N200 as against N100,” Onuoha said.

The residents urged the government to monitor the movement of kerosene allocated to states until it got to their destination.