Long queue of cars
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
For more than a week now, Bauchi has witnessed long queue of cars waiting to get PMS in their tanks due to the scarcity of the commodity even though the NNPC is insisting that it has enough supply for the end of the year demand.
The long queue at filling stations is associated with the ‘Ember’ months which has now resurfaced as vehicle owners especially those whose cars use the product were forced to spend hours to get the product at the few major marketers who are dispensing at the pump price of N165 per litre.
Only few major marketers and a number of independent marketers opened their filling stations to dispense the product a situation that has sent fears of an imminent scarcity on people considering the present high cost of living in the country.
At the ATBU Total filling station along Yelwa road, motorists and motorcycle riders were seen on the queue waiting for their turns to get the quantity of the PMS they needed to few days to come not knowing how long the scarcity was going to take.
Amos Moses who was on the queue wondered the reason behind fuel scarcity at the end of every year saying it could be a deliberate move to make celebration of the Yuletide period for Christians and other people who have something to do during the period.
Mrs Deborah Ismaila said that she had spent close to one hour on the queue before she got the tank of her Toyota Camry car filled saying that the yearly scarcity of PMS should be checked by concerned authorities in order to reduce the stress Nigerians are going through at present.
When contacted, the Manager of the station said that the station has enough PMS to sell to the customers adding that she was expecting more supply from the depot.
When asked what the cause of the scarcity is, she said that she is not aware of any scarcity but just got to the station to notice that queue was building up in the station.
When our Correspondent visited the Bauchi office of DPR, the coordinator was said to have gone round to monitor the situation to ensure that it did not get out of control but an officer who did not want his name in print reassured that there is no cause for alarm as NNPC has enough PMS to go through the year.
Meanwhile, black markets have resurfaced across the metropolis as ulchins are seen displaying the products in jerrycans selling in 4 liter gallons between N1000 to N1200 per gallon to desperate people who could not wait on the queue for a long time.
Bauchi State House of Assembly has called on the state government to as a matter of urgency wade into the issue of fuel scarcity in the state saying that people are suffering from the situation.
Speaking Under matters of urgent public importance, the member representing Katagum Constituency, Mukhtar A Suleiman drew the attention of the House to fuel scarcity that hit the State which led to long queues in filling stations.
According to him, the fuel scarcity and long queues in few filling stations that sell the fuel are subjecting people of the State to untold hardship and added that in this era of insecurity it is dangerous to allow the situation in which filling stations are filled to capacity with different types of people.
He therefore urged the Honourable House to direct the government to investigate the situation and find solution.
In his response, the Speaker said that whatever affects the people of the State is automatically concern of the government, thus government should key into the matter with a view to finding solution. He added that fuel marketers also have role to play to end the situation.
In his contribution, Musa Wakili Nakwada representing Bogoro Constituency said that the motion on the issue was timely because people wait for many hours on fuel queues in Bauchi and explained that this is the period that farmers are harvesting, transporting their farm produce, and the lack of fuel is affecting them seriously.
Musa Nakwada stated that the situation is dangerous therefore the Government should call people responsible for the problem saying, “It is a man made problem, some people internationally created the situation to make profit. We are moving toward the end of the year, people will engage in journeys and with the current fuel scarcity, people will suffer.”
Bello Muazu Shira representing Shira Constituency said that this is the time of harvest in which farmers transport their farm produce to home but some people hoard the fuel to create the artificial scarcity.
According to him, there is fuel in many filling stations but they refuse to dispense. Some people are even mixing the fuel with some substances which affect the economy and public health and suggested that the State Government should rescue people from the difficult situation.
Bello Sarkin Jadori representing Gamawa Constituency said that the problem has spread to all the 20 local governments on the State, therefore solution should be provided be all the local governments.
Saleh Hodi Jibir representing Disina Constituency said that the executive arm should hold meeting with all fuel dealers in the State to find out the actual reasons of the scarcity so as to find final solution, House adopted the prayers of the mover and contributors.
