What Are We To Do?! Reports Say Fuel Scarcity May Linger Beyond May 29!!!

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The fuel scarcity that has rocked the nation in the past two weeks has been pure, undiluted torture for most Nigerians and has caused untold hardship. People spend several hours queuing up for fuel at the filling stations, and sometimes do not end up getting any fuel. Some frustrated people go to buy from the black market sellers who display gallons by the road side, and not only do they have to pay obscenely expensive amounts for the fuel, sometimes the fuel has been adulterated and results in a damaged car engine.

Transportation costs have increased also, in some instances almost by 100%! Buses are few on the roads and commuters have no choice but to pay the exorbitant prices charged by transport workers. A lot of other commuters get stranded at bus stops for long periods waiting for the few available buses. The situation is dire and the reports are even more frightening. According to Premium Times: 

Major oil marketers and depot petroleum products marketers on Thursday said that the current fuel scarcity in the country might persist beyond May 29, if the Federal Government failed to pay their outstanding claims on subsidy.

The Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Obafemi Olawore, disclosed this at a media briefing with the newsmen in Lagos.

Mr. Olawore said the outstanding payment on subsidy and interest remained unpaid by government and this had led to its members’ inability to import petroleum products in the last few days. 

According to him, the scarcity may also persist beyond the hand over date that will usher in a new political administration of Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd). 

“Because of the huge outstanding that we have; because we have not been able to pay back the loan we have taken, because our suppliers are not too confident, we are unable to bring fresh import. 

“Whatever we have now is what we have received from NNPC and it is the small quantity that we have from NNPC, that is why you see all the trucks in Lagos scrambling for them.

Mr. Olawore said unless the over N200 billion that the government owed both MOMAN and DAPPMA was paid, scarcity might persist beyond May 29. 

We really hope and pray that the scarcity ends soon, but in the event of anything, please be prepared.