As the lingering fuel scarcity bits harder, different petrol marketers in the oil rich Delta state have adjusted their pump price to four hundred and fifty naira (#450) to five hundred naira (#500) per litre of fuel as black market operators who ply their illicit trade freely without molestation from security personnel, sell at a ridiculous price of one thousand naira ( #1,000).
A investigations by The New diplomat at the weekend, showed that fuel scarcity situation was worse in rural areas as the near absence of filling stations even compound their woes as only black market operators sell fuel to the rural dwellers.
At the state capital, Asaba, long queues of vehicles were seen in virtually all the filling stations that have adjusted their pump price to reflect the current selling price of petrol per litre.
Though, our investigations further revealed that some marketers who, for fear of being caught by the regulatory agencies of petroleum products, refused to adjust their pump to reflect the current rate but requested for the price variation in cash after dispensing the fuel to unsuspecting motorists.
A fuel attendant in one of the filling stations in Asaba who gave his name as Edmond, said that the adjustment in pump price was a directive from above, adding that, “it’s how you bought the product that you will sell. Everybody is in business to make profit.”
A hair saloon business owner at Boji Boji Owa, Agbor, Madam Alice Adigwe disclosed that the fuel situation was worse in the area as she was compelled to buy a litre fuel yesterday at a ridiculous price of One thousand two hundred naira (#1,200) to enable her power the generator.
Madam Adigwe who stated that there seems to be a grand conspiracy between electricity providers and petroleum marketers, adding that the epileptic supply of electricity got worse when lingering fuel scarcity persists.
“I weep for Nigeria my country. But the case of Delta state is worse. Our Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa could not help us prevail on electricity providers to improve on the services rendered. There’s hardly electricity in major towns in the state much less of villages. I have to buy the fuel at that price to keep my customers. Though, the price will certainly not be the same as when we use electricity to run our business,” she said.
The lamentation song sounds the same in Sapele, Ughelli and Warri where the people suffered perennial fuel scarcity and epileptic power supply as small scale business operators are being forced to close shop due to the high cost of operations.
A barbing saloon operator, Toju at Okere, a suburb in Warri, said he struggles on daily basis to eke a living from the business due mainly to High cost of operations as most of his customers have resorted to self help by cutting their themselves.
“Trust Warri boys, some of my customers allow their wives or younger brother to cut their hair. It’s not easy I must admit. Hence, I have to combine selling of recharge cards and running a Pos business to enable me pay rent of the shop,” he said.
A manager in one of the filling stations in Ughelli who would not want his name in print, disclosed that the fuel scarcity situation would get worse in the days ahead as there seems to be no end in sight.
He lamented that a state like Delta would not be experiencing fuel scarcity as the Warri refinery if it were functional, people in the state would heave a sign of relief.
The manager also disclosed that adjustment of the pump is based on the prerogative of the manager as there are no standard fixed price of petrol in Delta state. “You have to sell the product at the rate at which you bought it. Every body is in business to make money,” he added.
