Fuel Scarcity: Litre Goes For N250 In Abuja

Authorities of the Nige
ria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) have attributed the persistent fuel scarcity in the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Abuja to panic buying by the residents.
The Group General Manager Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Mr Obi Alegbe, who stated this in an interview with newsmen said NNPC and its subsidiary, the PPMC has been solely responsible for the supply of the products in the last couple of weeks.
It would be recalled that FCT has continued to experience fuel scarcity for the past two months despite several meetings and promises by the Ministry of Finance, NNPC, DPR, PPMC, and PPPRA, as well as the oil marketers.
Earlier, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketing Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) had blamed the scarcity on the elections and assured that marketers had enough products at their various depots to meet demand.
However, in spite of the assurances, the long queue are still persisting in various filling stations across the city.
Among areas mainly affected are AP filling station in Maitama District, MRS filling station along Ariport Road, Total and Conoil petrol stations, directly opposite the headquarters of the NNPC, NNPC Mega station and Total filling stations, all in the Central Business District of FCT.
As a result of the development , consumers are at the mercy of black marketers who are rather taking undue advantage of the situation to make good business.
The Tide gathered that instead of the official pump price of N87.00 per litre, the product goes for N250 per litre in the black market.
Some of the black marketers said the petrol scarcity in Abuja has provided them good opportunity to make good profit.