By Moses Okorie
Despite the order given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that filling stations should desist from hoarding petroleum product, because there won’t be any increase in fuel price in the month of March, many filling stations on Monday, March 1, 2021 have violated this directive by refusing to dispense the product.
In Abuja, some of the filling stations visited by 365Daily were under lock-and-key as at the time of filing this report while vehicular traffic was less on the roads.
Along Apo Mechanic Village road, AYM Shafa and AA Rano filing stations were not opened for business. Even at Gudu area, the major filling station there, AYM Shafa is also under lock-and-key.
Meanwhile, motorists have engaged in panic-buying at the few petrol stations that are opened for business. While black market operators are making brisk business, selling fuel for over N300 per litre to those that could not endure the long queues currently experienced.
According to a car owner, Olaiya Igwara, he said he had to park his car at home and board tricycle, popularly known as Keke Napep to his destination as he could not go in search of fuel for his car.
365Daily earlier reported that contrary to speculations of imminent increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in the country, NNPC has ruled out any increment in the ex-depot price of petrol in March, 2021.
A press release by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the Corporation was not contemplating any raise 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.
NNPC also cautioned petroleum products marketers not to engage in arbitrary price increase or hoarding of petrol in order not to create artificial scarcity and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.
The Corporation stated that it has enough stock of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for over 40 days and urged motorists to avoid panic buying.
It further called on relevant regulatory authorities to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in products hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price.