Frustration and anguish are the best words to describe the mood of Abuja residents, who are facing a fresh round of petrol scarcity despite a notable increase in the pump price by oil marketers.
Petrol prices range from N165/litre at NNPC mega stations to N175-N205 at filling stations owned by independent marketers.
It was observed that most filling stations in Abuja metropolis were shut on Thursday and the few that operated had terrible queues snaking several metres around them.
The current scenario is at variance with the promises made by the Group Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Mr Mele Kyari during the last Sallah celebration, where he assured us that the queues would disappear in a few days.
When contacted for reasons behind the resurgent queues, an NNPC source directed Daily Sun to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“This issue has been off and on. Please contact NMDPRA,” he said.
Meanwhile, motorists have lampooned the NNPC and other agencies for the recurrent petrol crisis, saying the federal government has run out of excuses as it continues to play Russian roulette with the country’s economic life.
Dan Ali, a commercial bus driver, lamented, “Is this not hell on earth? Despite the increase in the pump price of petrol, we are still languishing in long queues. This is totally unacceptable for a major oil-producing country. I’m sick of Nigeria.”
Flora Igwe, a civil servant, said, “I took Mr Mele Kyari’s promises to heart, thinking the days of hellish queues were over. How wrong I was. We’re back to this terrible situation again after three days of respite.”
