The scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly
known as petrol, which hit the country few days ago, is
beginning to subside following the approval of
N413billion by the Federal Government for immediate
payment of outstanding subsidy claims to oil marketers
in the country . The payment according to government
was to facilitate importation of petroleum products to
ease scarcity, which has become a recurring crisis,
especially in the last quarter of every year.
When Sunday Vanguard, visited some filling stations
within Lagos metropolis, it was observed that long
queues found initially at many outlets were disappearing.
But the situation at Apapa depots where petrol is often
loaded from and distributed to other parts of the country
was a different scenario entirely.
While going round some depots, Sunday Vanguard learnt
that buying petrol from depots poses a big challenge to
many marketers, especially those coming from the
eastern parts, Kaduna, Kano, far north and other places
outside Lagos. Our team gathered that while some
marketers buy from third parties almost at the official
pump price of N87, which they ought to dispense at the
outlets, others spend days, incurring so much expenses
before getting the products from the depots.
Some buyers at the depots, and among them women,
who spoke with our team, expressed displeasure with the
challenges they face in getting products from the depots,
even when there is no scarcity. Madam Lawal (surname
withheld), in a chat with Sunday Vanguard said, “Getting
the products from the depots is sometimes very difficult,
even where there is no scarcity in the country.
Sometimes my truck stays for days before being loaded.
Often, some of us after spending days at the depots buy
from third parties at exorbitant rate, instead of returning
without the products.”
In the same vein, a truck driver, who gave his name as
Baba Isa, said he has been robbed twice along Oshodi-
Apapa road while on queue waiting to get to the depot
Some buyers at the depots, and among them women,
who spoke with our team, expressed displeasure with the
challenges they face in getting products from the depots,
even when there is no scarcity. Madam Lawal (surname
withheld), in a chat with Sunday Vanguard said, “Getting
the products from the depots is sometimes very difficult,
even where there is no scarcity in the country.
Sometimes my truck stays for days before being loaded.
Often, some of us after spending days at the depots buy
from third parties at exorbitant rate, instead of returning
without the products.”
In the same vein, a truck driver, who gave his name as
Baba Isa, said he has been robbed twice along Oshodi-
Apapa road while on queue waiting to get to the depot
for loading. “I usually come from Kaduna with my
conductor to load the products in Lagos. Sometimes, we
spend up to a week, sleeping on the road before getting
the products. We have been robbed twice and because of
that we do not travel with much money again. We come
with only plastic and few plates. The plastic is what we
use to have our bath only at night along the road, beside
the truck, until we go back”.
Sunday Vanguard also gathered that the outstanding
subsidy claims currently stand at a little above the
monetary value of N400billion, which necessitated the
approval of N413bilion by the government. However,
many stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have advised
the current administration to find sustainable solution to
the recurring scarcity of petroleum products in the
country, stressing that paying marketers N413billion as
subsidy claims would only assist them to pay their debts
in commercial banks, but would not bring a lasting
solution to petrol scarcity in the country.
According to the Executive Secretary, Major Oil
Marketers Association of Nigeria,MOMAN, Mr. Femi
Olawore, government should fully deregulate the
downstream sector and stop controlling shares in the
refineries. “The plants should be given to the private
sector for prudent management. Now, we hear that the
refineries are being maintained by local engineers, which
is what one has always agitated for, that our engineers
have the skills and capability to maintain the refineries,
but the issue has always been ownership of the plants.
For instance, of all the refineries in the US, none is
controlled by government. Over 120 refineries are
privately controlled. So, it sounds very funny when
people challenge the statement that government has no
business in business”, he said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/fuel-scarcity-no-solution-in-sight-after-n413-billion-subsidy-approval/

Hmmmmm
If it were Jonathan's time it would have been clueless, but now nobody is complaining. At the end of this regime, people will know that the previous administration managed things for better and I pray they change for the betterment of the country.

PDP to be blamed.

Okimski:
Hmmmmm

and so? why booking space for your thread.

I heard the price of petrol is about to be reduced. How true this is, time will tell.

But also it's the norm. Fuel always gets scarce in November and December especially. Everyone should start stocking up fuel reserves at home from now

As concerned with fuel scarcity, Nigerians will continue to get what they deserve. The inability of the common man to decipher right or wrong and assert himself is rather repulsive. The elite play with the gullible minds of the commons and successfully get them to believe whatever they want them to. Three weeks running with serious fuel scarcity and no protests, the media is quiet. We are all waiting for the #occupynigeria elite who have truly now occupied Nigeria up there and cannot see our sufferings down here any more. What a pity.