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• Black market sells for N1,200/litre
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Motorists and commuters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are going through excruciating times over the persisting scarcity of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol, which is disrupting businesses in the Federal Capital Territory.
Filling stations visited by Saturday Sun had horrendous queues around them as motorists struggled to get the product. In some places, chaos ruled as security operatives struggled to ensure tranquility reigned.
From Berger to Central Business District, Wuse to Kubwa and Lugbe, the horror was the same. Black marketers leveraged on the pains of motorists to sell petrol at N1,200/litre.
A civil servant, Amina Gambo, expressed her frustration while waiting at the Lugbe Federal Housing junction for close to two hours trying to get a cab to the Federal Secretariat.
She said: “I have been standing here for almost two hours trying to hail a taxi to enable me go to work but I have not been able to get any. I hate to resume office late so I wake up and prepare myself for work on time. Unfortunately today, I have been here since 7:30 Am. It is almost 10am already.”
A driver, Mr Abel John, who had been waiting in one of the queues, described the situation as horrific and blamed the government for being ‘insensitive’ to the plight of Nigerians. He said: “I have been in this queue for more than four hours and I have not been able to get fuel. I know how much I would have made already if I was working with this time that I have spent here. I do not know what the problem is again. They said fuel subsidy, now they have removed fuel subsidy and making us buy the fuel at outrageous rates, yet we cannot even buy with ease.
“Again, they told us that they have rebranded NNPC for efficiency but I cannot see any improvement at all. It has even become worse than it was.
Also lamenting the situation, Mr Anyebe Samuel, an e-Taxi hailing driver said he had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning enable him get fuel.
Samuel further bemoaned the refusal of some e-cab hailing companies to review their prices to reflect current realities.
“If the fuel situation does not improve by tomorrow (Friday), I plan to park my car for a while because I cannot continue to operate at a loss. The price is still the same on the App, despite all that we are going through here. After working, by the time they remove their commission, you will see that you have nothing left. It is not encouraging at all.”
A journalist, Joan Nwagwu, said she bought five litres of fuel at the black market for N600 to enable her go to work. “After work today, I will plan to roam the streets of Abuja to find where I can buy fuel, because, I do not have enough to serve me till tomorrow and I cannot afford to pay another N6,000 for five litres at the black market,” she said.
