Fuel Scarcity, Long Queues At Filling Stations Bite Harder In Sapele

By Valerie- Itie

Motorists in Sapele continue to groan as fuel queues and scarcity hit the town and environs more, resulting in high cost of transportation and gradual increase in the cost of foodstuffs.

Most filling station have shut their outlets from dispensing fuel to motorists, while others that sold pegged their pump prices between N185 per litre to over N200, just as in the black market, a litre of fuel is being sold for N400.

Speaking with the manager of one of the filling stations, who pleaded anonymity, it was gathered that the pump price was expected to go up beyond N200 per litre in the coming days, if the fuel scarcity persisted.

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He said that the stations were hoarding what they had to in order to catch in on the gains when the pump prices went up.

A motorist, Mike Jessa, said the situation should be arrested quickly because Nigerians were already overstressed economically.

Odioko Samson, another motorist, opined that the scarcity might be deliberate because no sooner than the federal government talked of increasing pump price of fuel with the resultant threat by Labour Union to go on strike, than the rumour of importation of ethanol loaded fuel that was dangerous to car engines surfaced, resulting in the present scarcity.

“Could it be a tactic by the Federal Government to test the wit of Nigerians on how much they will be willing to pay for fuel? If it is, then it is so sad,” he said.

Amina Hauwa, a trader, added that the government should look at the plight of the poor masses that hitherto had been finding it hard to survive, adding that the present fuel scarcity would further worsen the plights of the poor masses as prices of food stuffs would surely go up further should the scarcity persisted.

Transport fares have continued to rise as a trip that usually cost N100 had gone up to N200 and a distance that hitherto cost N150 has skyrocketed to N400 and more.

All efforts to reach owners of fuel stations proved abortive as their managers declined comments and refused to give phone numbers of the owners.