- No Plan To Increase Fuel Price — NNPC
By Abiola Olawale
Anxiety gripped Nigerians as fuel scarcity hit Lagos, Abuja and other major cities in the country over the weekend despite there has been no official increase in the ex-dopt price of PMS.
Recent consternation of Nigerians on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as Petrol, has proven to be true, following the recent fuel scarcity in major parts of the country.
The New Diplomat‘s checks revealed that several petrol stations in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country were under lock and key, as the country experiences another phase of fuel scarcity.
Several petrol stations in Agege, Ojodu, Ikeja, and Alimosho area of Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos were shut against motorists.
Checks also revealed that the price of petrol ranges between N162 and N165 at major filing station surveyed in Lagos over the weekend.
Many Nigerians have expressed concerns over the fuel scarcity as there was no official increment yet in the petrol price.
Also, long queues were observed at the Nigerian National Petroleum Pipeline (NNPC) filling station along Airport Road in Abuja and other fuel stations in the Nigerian capital.
The queue at fuel stations has been blamed on the inadequate supply of Petroleum products to most of the filling stations.
“Only one truck (of Petroleum products) was delivered to us, and before you know it, fuel will finish. This is what we have been facing since last week. That’s why most of the stands that are supposed to be dispensing are not able to do so. There is no fuel,” an NNPC fuel attendant said in confidence.
Meanwhile, the status of the PMS has continued to send conflicting signal into the consciousness of the people, following the statement of NNPC, stating that there is no plan to increase petrol price, or hoard fuel.
The NNPC, Sunday, cautioned the Nigerian motorists against panic buying of fuel, saying that there was no plan to increase the ex-depot price.
Disclosing this in a statement, Kennie Obateru, the spokesperson of NNPC, said the corporation was not planning to increase the price of petroleum products.
This is coming after speculations by members of the Nigerian public, that NNPC is planning to increase the price of petroleum products to the marketers in the country.
The statement reads: “Contrary to speculations of imminent increase in the price of PMS in the country, the NNPC has ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of petrol in March. The corporation was not contemplating any rise in the price of petrol in March in order not to jeopardize ongoing engagements with organized labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship.”
Obateru further cautioned the marketers of petroleum products across the country, against hoarding of petrol, adding that Nigerians should not be subjected to hardship due to fuel scarcity.
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