There seems to be no hope in sight to the fuel scarcity currently ravaging the Federal Capital, Abuja. In all the filling stations across the town, there are long queues of vehicles waiting to buy fuel which is not readily available.
This started during the past week and is telling hard on the citizenry. There are no vehicles on the road and as it has always been the custom when this problem comes up, there will be increase in transport fares.
No one seems to know the reason why it’s only Abuja that is faced with this issue but some individuals like Gabriel Emmanuel and Femi Adegbite said it’s because this is the center of the economy and it will spread to other states soon if this issue is not nipped in the bud early.
On a fact finding mission as to what could be responsible for this scarcity peculiar alone to Abuja at the moment, Mr Oyinlola, the NNPC Afrigate manager in Gwarinpa said the scarcity is due to NUPENG indefinite strike action.
He further explained that they had exhausted their fuel and were waiting for more fuel from the appropriate quarters. On probing further to ascertain whether the threats from the marketers to shut down the economy are coming to reality, he opined that he is not aware about that.
The people at the filling stations have refused to leave the petrol stations on the 1st avenue road in Gwarinpa. In fact, the road was blocked totally and the security agents from the Gwarinpa police station led by Mr A.A Godwin were on ground to forestall any breakdown of law and order as well as ensure free flow of traffic.
On meeting the taxi drivers present to get their views on the situation on ground, it was a loud cry of lamentation from most of them. A particular one who refused to mention his name recounted his experiences and challenges he has faced since the scarcity began.
According to him and others present, he bought 25litres of fuel for N8000 from the black market. He even said the filling station in Area 11 sold fuel to them at black market prices Nigerians are used to suffering but will still smile over the issue and that has been keeping us going.
Some of them were proved that assertion right. They were eating and drinking while waiting for fuel.Lady Maria Ejielo who had been at the filling station since 3 am(just as so many others), when asked her opinion on whether we are at a brink of revolution in the country, she prayed against it but urged His Excellency, Goodluck Jonathan to use his presidential powers and arrest the situation before it goes bad.
