Petrol roadside sellers resurface in FCT as fears of price hike grows

Roadside sellers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly called ‘black marketers’ have resurfaced on major expressways in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Newsmen who went round the city centre on Monday, report that only a few fuel stations were dispensing to motorists amid long queues.

However, most fuel stations on Kubwa Expressway and Central Business District including Gegu Oil, AA Rano, Shema petrol station were selling to motorists.

Roadside sellers interviewed by newsmen on Kubwa Expressway and Gwarinpa Estate declined to disclose how they sourced their products, as they sold 10 litre of fuel for between N5000 and N6000.

Commenting, Chief Chinedu Okonkwo, President of Independent Petroleum Marketing Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) blamed the problem on panic buying.

“Nigerians should stop panic buying; the NNPC has assured that it will not increase the ex-depot price of PMS in March.

“Some of our members, who stopped selling for fear that they may not be able to buy product have agreed to start selling.

“I am sure that by tomorrow things will normalise because the NNPC said that there is 40 day product sufficiency in the country,’’ he said

Meanwhile, NNPC had advised motorists to stop panic buying, as it has no plan to increase the ex-depot price in March.

“Contrary to speculations of imminent increase in the price of PMS in the country, the NNPC has ruled out any increase in the ex-depot price of petrol in March.

“The corporation is not contemplating any rise in the price of petrol in March in order not to jeopardise ongoing engagements with organised labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose ordinary Nigerian to any hardship,” Spokesperson for NNPC, Dr Kennie Obateru, said. (NAN)