Victor EzejaProtest over fuel scarcity which started in parts of Edo State on Monday morning, entered Tuesday, with angry youths blocking major roads in the state including the Benin-Lagos Expressway.
A video of the protest seen on Twitter shows fire on the road with thick smoke billowing from burning materials.
Hundreds of protesters were seen in the video marching on the streets of Benin, wielding sticks and singing songs of protest, demanding immediate resolution of the fuel crisis ravaging all parts of the country.
The situation has left many travellers using the Benin-Lagos Expressway stranded as the road is blocked.
Fuel scarcity which had lingered for months now got worse in the last few weeks with many filling stations closing down for not having the product, while the ones that have been selling at high prices.
Prime Business Africa reported that the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol had gone up, with some fuel stations selling for as high as N400 per litre.
The official cost of the product used to be N165 per litre. However, some reports recently accused the federal government of quietly increasing it to N185 per litre.
In the past few days, it has further jumped to as high as ₦450, ₦500, ₦650 or ₦700 depending of the state.
In Edo, PMS currently sells for ₦650 in most retail outlets.
Obaseki Sets Up Committee To Monitor Fuel Distribution, Pricing
In an attempt to address the situation, the Edo State governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Monday, announced plans to set up a committee, within the next 24 hours, to monitor the distribution and pricing of petroleum products at various retail outlets across the state.
According to a statement by Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, the committee which would be made up of actors in the private sector, civil society organisations and government, will work to monitor the distribution and pricing of the product at filling stations to ensure that shylock marketers do not take advantage of the situation to rip off citizens of the state.
The statement said the governor is embarking on the action having observed the plights and grievances of the people in the state as expressed by protesters in a letter addressed to him on the issue.
The protesters had on Monday, proceeded to the government where they dropped a letter containing their demands of what needed to be done about the fuel crisis.
“The government acknowledges the plight of the Edo people who have had to endure gruelling experiences accessing petroleum products as well as the exorbitant prices the product is sold for in the State in the last few days,” part of the statement read.
According to Osagie, the governor will also “schedule a meeting with all stakeholders in the product distribution value chain to deliberate on the issues responsible for distribution hurdles and price hike and find lasting solutions to the matters arising.”
He added that the government thanked all Edo people for being law-abiding and also appreciated the protesters for being peaceful promising to “work with all concerned to ease the situation and build a progressive State together.”
A source said the decision to set up the committee was because it was discovered that some marketers are hoarding petroleum products and selling them at a very high price.
The committee is expected to be announced today in line with the governor’s promise.
Prime Business Africa gathered that the government through the committee will start monitoring all petroleum products coming into the state on daily basis and ensure that they sell at the normal rate.
The scarcity has caused untold hardship for Nigerians. There are long queues at petrol stations. People with vehicles and container-wielding crowds struggle daily to buy fuel amid the scorching sun.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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