Emmanuel OchayiOil marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) engaged in a tug-of-war over the ongoing fuel scarcity that has led to long queues at petrol stations in Abuja and neighboring states.
According to Chief Ukadike Chinedu, the National Public Relations Officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), the persistence of queues was due to an inadequate supply of products, fostering profiteering among marketers. Chinedu emphasized the need for increased product availability to curb such practices.
“In Port Harcourt, for instance, our tickets have been tied down. For the past three weeks, we have not been able to load products, leading to queues at the few stations that have products,” said Chinedu.
He further pointed out the delayed arrival of promised PMS vessels at various locations, attributing the hike in pump prices to the actions of private depot owners.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Oil Production Prospects: Meeting OPEC Quota, Economic Growth
However, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, refuted the claims, attributing the situation to a “price war” between marketers. Soneye emphasized that motorists preferred stations with lower prices, causing the apparent queues.
Soneye defended NNPC’s stance saying: “While NNPC retail is selling at N613/litre in Abuja, other marketers’ prices range from N625-N650/litre.”
Despite this dispute, Mohammed Shuaibu, Secretary of IPMAN Abuja-Suleja, acknowledged that while low supply volumes from NNPCL contributed to the queues, the upcoming festive season could also be a factor.
“The government should intervene now by flooding the country with products so that those who want to catch in on the season to profiteer would not be able to do so,” Shuaibu urged.
Meanwhile, the scenes at various petrol stations revealed lengthy queues not only at NNPCL outlets but also at Conoil and Total outlets across Abuja and its neighboring states, underscoring the severity of the situation.
As conflicting narratives persist, consumers remain stranded in queues, hoping for a swift resolution to the fuel scarcity issue before the festive season intensifies the challenge.
Follow Us