From Fred Ezeh, Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
For well over one now, residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and environs have been having torturous experiences because of the unending fuel scarcity
Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, promised that the scarcity would end by the end of February. It never ended. Instead, motorists now spend hours and in some cases, days, on queue to get fuel. As a result, commuters are left to suffer the consequent hardship. They are forced to wait endlessly for unavailable vehicles or resort to trekking.
The fuel scarcity situation exposed the FCT uncoordinated public transport system. Since Mohammed Bello FCT minister, no provision was made for public mass transport system. That was the case in the past when huge investments were made in the procurement of high capacity buses. Those buses are now “abandoned” at their various parks along Kubwa Road, Karu and other locations.
Over the years, FCT residents have relied on private vehicle owners to aid movement. This time, both the private vehicle owners and commercial drivers stuck at fuel stations. Expectedly, the stress and anger of getting the fuel by motorists coming at high cost are transferred to commuters with increased fares.
Some commuters told Daily Sun, that they have lost hope on the government and are now living at the mercies of motorists and station attendants. A motorist at Kubwa, Abuja, John Ochigbo, blamed the NNPC for not explaining to Nigerians the true reason behind the lingering fuel scarcity, even after promising to inject 2.1 billion litres of petrol into the system by the end of February:
“First week of March has ended, and the queues at various petrol stations in Abuja are getting longer than expected. What is responsible for this? The NNPC should explain to us.”
Henry Agbo, a taxi driver, got to a fuel station in Kubwa at 4;30 a.m: “I was forced to wake up as early as possible so I can be at the filling station early. But I never had sound sleep the previous night because I was thinking of how I would get fuel for the next day’s work. This is really affecting the economy of the nation.
“The government needs to wake up or we will go down. Transportation is biting harder and the poor masses are complaining, especially the civil servants. It is getting tougher by the day and all we keep receiving are promises of availability of the product.”
Another taxi driver, Abubakar Sule, from Lugbe, spent two days at a filling station somewhere in Life Camp: “It’s not that the station did not have fuel but that they decided to be selling cars that must have bribed them to enter through the exit gate.
“I came the first day, waited all day but when it got to my turn, they said the fuel had finished. I had to leave my car there and went home.
I was forced to paid someone N500 for what they called night charges so he could watch over my car. But I came back in the morning, he told me that they sold to some people at midnight and at about 5 am again.
It was a mixed feelings for me when one of the attendants asked me if I care for black market.”
Gracious she spent “only” three hours before getting fuel, even though. It was through the intervention of Petroleum Task Force team that paid unscheduled visit to the fuel station: “After staying about three hours in the filling station, just few cars to be served before me, they stopped selling through the main entrance.
“They quickly moved customers through the exit gate and told us they are management staff. I felt disappointed before some people in uniform came and discovered they still had fuel and forced them to sell.”
Evelyn Adah, a civil servant resident in Jahi, Abuja, said: “I have packed my car since when this issue of scarcity started. Though, it has not been easy for me, but I don’t want my car to develop problem.
Most of these fuel you see these guys selling are mixed with different things.
“The other day, my friend bought this black market. One hour after, her fuel pump started misbehaving. I don’t want such problem, I will patiently wait until this queues disappear before I will start driving to work again. Ever since I bought black market fuel for my generator, it has been misbehaving.”
Some of the black market operators confessed that the business is very lucrative, as they make N 10,000 to N15,000 daily. Mama Emeka, said she used to sell tomatoes, but when the scarcity started and persisted, she considered the fuel business: “Though, at first it wasn’t easy sleeping at the station to get the product, but now the business is much easier and profitable because I now have contacts of some people that buy it for me. I no longer need to sleep over, I just settle them for their service.”
Another woman, who pleaded anonymity said: “They say if one door closes, another will open. Though, most people are complaining of the scarcity, but it has really done me well.
“I started this business with just N10,000 but I know what is in my account now. Most people were laughing at me when I started this business, but today, it has persisted and no one knows when it is even going to end. It is not that am wishing the country bad but it has really transformed my family and I.”
However, commuters have different stories to tell. A civil servant, Justin, resides at Dutse-Alhaji, Abuja: “I don’t know what the government is doing because this fuel situation is becoming worse.
They told us the other day that they would start 24 hours dispensation of fuel but till date, the scarcity is biting harder.
“We, the poor masses are really suffering. I got home 10:30 pm, the other day because of lack of transportation fare. I had to trek to Berger and then hustled to get a cab to my destination at double the normal price.
“We have all it takes to be independent. God blessed this country with lots of mineral resources but instead of us working on developing them, we prefer finished goods made from our local resources and sold to us at very high prices.”
Another commuter, Samuel, said: “This story is better experienced than be being told. I left home as early as 6am because of the scarcity. I stayed at NNPC junction, Kubwa, Abuja, for more than five hours without getting a cab. I had to call my boss and told him the situation, he had compassion on me and told me to go home. It was a terrible experience. Most people were trekking but it was impossible for some of us going to very far distances.”
A businesswoman in Wuse, Madam B lamented: “Before now, I pay N400 for transport to my shop at Wuse. But now it is more than N,700, after I had trekked halfway.
“This fuel scarcity will affect our businesses negatively because before you know it, suppliers will increase the cost of delivery of products. The government should please help us because it’s no longer easy for us the commoners.”
A civil servant, Ken, resides in Dawaki, Abuja: “I must tell you the issue is so pathetic and we are not even sure of the fuel we are buying.
“Last week, I bought fuel that damaged my fuel pump. I have decided to park my car till the scarcity is resolved. Though, the new life of jumping from one taxi to another and waiting for hours at the junction is not easy, I prefer it to damaging my car because I don’t have money now for mechanic.
“This is a very difficult time for we Nigerians. Money is not available for people and for you to get the fuel is something else.”
Joy Aka, resident of Dei-Dei, said: “I am a sales girl with a little take-home salary. The whole of my salary can’t pay for my transport comfortably for one week. I have promised myself not to go to work again till this issue is resolved. I don’t mind being replaced because I can’t be suffering for nothing.”
Sesugh, a Keke rider in Kubwa, Abuja, said business has declined since fuel scarcity started: “We buy 10 litres of fuel from N5,000 to N7,000 from black marketers, and even fuel stations sell for N225 per litre. At times we found it difficult to get our money back talk more of profits because the places we charge for N50 is now N100, so most people would prefer trekking to paying that amount. It is really affecting us.”
Another Keke rider in Karu, Dominic: “This is a very terrible experience for us because the money is nowhere. After all the stress at the station, spending hours, at times you won’t even get the fuel and customer would be bargaining. I am tired but I can’t stay at home that is just why am still here.”