‘‘Since NNPC is the only importer of petrol, we have to source
the product from them and nowhere else. But they have hiked
the lithering charge and that has become a source of concern to
us. How much are we going to sell to offtakers?”
-Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN)
The newspaper headlines are haunting, heart-jerking, painting a
horrifying spectacle of the preventable pains of the long-
suffering Nigerians, still stewing in the paradox of want -of
refined premium motor spirit(pms)- in the midst of plenty
natural deposit of crude oil resource.
If in doubt, consider some of them: ‘Petrol scarcity bites harder
in Abuja, Oyo, Yobe’(-2nd March, 2021). ‘Commuters groan as
fuel scarcity bites harder’ (24 th Nov., 2022). ‘Fuel scarcity bites
harder, cripples socio-economic activities in Kebbi(18th
December, 2022). ‘Commuters trek, motorists sleep at filling
stations as petrol scarcity bites harder’ (23 rd January, 2023).
And if you thought there was some ray hope at the end of the
long, dark tunnel another headline stated that: ‘Fuel scarcity
bites harder as marketers abandon cargoes over new charges.
Price hits N270/N300 per litre ”. That was also on 23 rd January,
2023.
Lest we forget, it was this same set of deceitful promoters of the
current All Progressives Congress-led government that promised
Nigerians that petrol would be sold at N80 per litre should the
political party be voted into power to dislodge the then, so called
‘clueless’ President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration! That
was during the now infamous and well-orchestrated vile and
viperous political campaigns against the Peoples Democratic
Party(PDP) in 2014/2015.
Furthermore, they told us that there was nothing like ‘fuel
subsidy’ as claimed by the PDP government. That it was a mere
smokescreen. But today, those same politicians are vowing to
remove the fuel subsidy, come April, 2023. That is some two
months to go!
Trust some gullible, naïve, ethno-religious and sentimentally
mesmerized citizens-they swallowed the listless lies line, hook
and sinker. But here we are today, all groaning under the
‘Preventable Pains of Fuel Scarcity’.
Incidentally, that was the title of my opinion essay severally
published by some newspapers and online blogs on 18 th
February, 2022. Perhaps, a gentle reminder would wake up and
tackle some slumbering senses. This was part of what I wrote
back then:
‘The queues are long-winding and tortuous. The crowds of fuel-
seekers are agitated and visibly angry. The attendants at the few
fuel filling stations still selling petrol are ever-ready to attend
mostly to the highest bidders, ready to part with some extra
cash. Not long after, the jostling for the much-needed fuel
degenerates into bloody fisticuffs, as verbal missiles are
exchanged more freely than bullets at the battle-field. Valuable
man-hours are wasted and lost, but who really cares. At least,
not right here and now in Nigeria.
‘With all these scandalous scenarios unfolding in a country
where crude oil was reportedly discovered in commercial
quantity, precisely in Oloibiri, Bayelsa state some 66 years ago,
it elicits no arguments when it is described as more of a curse
than an economic cure’.
Coming back to the current situation of fuel scarcity, what could
be responsible for it and how do we eventually get off the hook?
According to several news reports, there is a pointer to the fact
that the current fuel crisis across the country may worsen in the
days ahead. The reason is traceable to the hike from N10 to N16
per litre lithering charge imposed on the independent marketers.
In addition, the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria
(MOMAN) stated in unequivocal terms that the long-winding
delay in implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act(PIA) was
gradually slowing down some expected new investments and
subsidy removal.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had in 2022
shifted the removal of subsidy till June this year,(currently being
shifted to April), a move that has been condemned by the
stakeholders
Even though there was the imported product on the high sea, the
associated cost involved in evacuating the product to the depots
was no longer sustainable. And it makes no economic sense for
the oil marketing business to thrive.
Besides, the number of daughter vessels made available for
evacuation of petrol from the high sea was grossly inadequate to
service the number of marketers queuing for the service.
Worse still, the marketers are lamenting that some cost elements
which hitherto were paid in Naira are now been exclusively
charged in Dollars!
Adding to the transportation challenges remains that of the
NNPC as the only importer of petrol into the oil-producing
country! Anomalous isn’t it? Of course, it is and it is reflective
of a failed leadership that takes undue pleasure in blaming others
for its self-inflicted woes.
That brings us to the questionable move by the so called anti-
sabotage organization that goes by the name of ‘The Natives’. It
is asking the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) and the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) to fish out
oil marketers and other marketers surreptitiously fuelling the
fuel scarcity across the country! Can you believe that?
The group went ahead to remind the pain-bearing Nigerians that
according to the Minister of state for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva,
President Muhammadu Buhari has not directed the Nigerian
Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority
(NMDPRA) to increase the price of PMS!
But it does not take rocket science to understand the rudimentary
factors that underscore and influence the price regime of
consumables, more so, that of petrol!
The pain in all of these factors leading to high costs of
petroleum products is that we, the common Nigerians, are at the
receiving end. We bear the brunt, always holding the short end
of the stick of the national economy.
Unfortunately, when the prices are hiked there are no measures
in place to cushion the spin-off effects on the high cost of
living. As usual transporters are using the opportunity to rip-off
helpless passengers.
As recently reported, a bus ride from Abule-Egba to Oshodi all
in Lagos state which used to go for N300 has been increased to
N500 while Abule-Egba to Sango which used to cost N200 has
gone up to N300. At the Apapa depot, tankers have been on
queue for months without product to load except for those
evacuating Automotive Gas Oil(AGO), popularly called Diesel.
But unlike fuel scarcity in 2021/2022 traced to its adulteration,
this is linked to increased market forces. With inflation rate at
21.34%, lending rate increased from 16.5% to 17.5% by the
CBN, the spin-off effects of the hike in the cost of PMS on
transportation, cost of food items and consumables have come at
the toughest time.
Now the burden-bearing donkey is crying out loud that the
weight of the loads being placed on its back are too heavy to
bear!
– Baje is a respected columnist and public commentator