Fuel scarcity hits Enugu as marketers shut down stations

Fuel scarcity resurfaced in Enugu metropolis on Wednesday as petroleum marketers closed down their filling stations.

A NAN correspondent who monitored the situation in the state capital said virtually all the major and independent marketers were closed their stations.

According to the report, only the NNPC Mega Station on Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway was dispensing products to a long queue of cars on its premises.

Commuters, including school children, were stranded due to paucity of commercial vehicles just as the roads were free of the usual traffic.

Meanwhile, transport fares have increased by 100 per cent as commercial buses charged between N80 and N100 as against N50 per drop.

Some motorists who spoke to NAN said the situation may be connected with ongoing monitoring of compliance with new pump price of N86.50k per litre by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

Samuel Nwodo, a civil servant, said the marketers closed their filling stations for fear of being sanctioned by the DPR.

“Some of the marketers have refused to adjust their pump price until they exhausted their old stock. I wonder when they will do that,” he said.

“I have gone round the metropolis in search of petrol but only the NNPC mega station is operating and I cannot stand the long queue.

A commercial bus driver, Chijioke Agu, said he increased bus fare due to the scarcity and urged the government to urgently save the situation.

Another motorist, Anthonia Ugwu, said she parked her vehicle at home and took her children to school in a taxi.

On Tuesday, the federal government announced that it would shut down and revoke licences of marketers who defaulted in implementing the new pump price.