FUEL SCARCITY IN ABIA STATE: IMMEDIATE AND REMOTE CAUSES
Residents of Abia State woke up last week to notice that fuel stations were not selling and the few that were selling had raised their prices to between N190 and N200 per litre. This situation has persisted for about a week now and I have made enquiries to ascertain the immediate and remote causes and below is my preliminary findings.
1. The Imo State Government, in it’s urban renewal and expansion program, had embarked on the demolition of some properties to allow for expansion of major roads. One of the properties destroyed was a fuel station and the proprietor approached the courts claiming damages against Government. The fuel marketer is reported to have won the case he instituted and awaited compensation from Government which was not forthcoming.
2. The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Imo State Chapter, reportedly intervened on behalf of their Member and sought to have Government resolve the issue. Events were not to the satisfaction of the Association and in protest and in solidarity with their Member, they decided to stop selling fuel in Imo State.
3. The Tanker Drivers who supply fuel to Imo State and neighbouring areas also joined in the solidarity protest leading to tankers queuing up in border communities in Imo State awaiting resolution of the impasse before they can resume supplies.
4. Security Agencies waded in and appealed to the Marketers to call off the protest as tankers, laden with fuel, massed at entrances to the State were a Security risk.
5. In the midst of the impasse, the Imo State Government was reported to have directed it’s citizens to go to neighbouring states to buy fuel until the Marketers in Imo State have a rethink.
6. This directive did not go down well with the Members of IPMAN in neighbouring states who in-turn, suspended sale of petroleum products in solidarity with their brethren in Imo State.
7. The NNPC Deport supplying the South East with petroleum products have equally stopped supplies to prevent products waiting on expressways without being discharged at fuel stations.
8. I spoke with Abia State Commissioner of Information Chief John Okiyi Kalu who is in touch with the Leadership of IPMAN in Abia State and monitoring the situation to know if there is anything the Abia State Government can do to ameliorate the situation in Abia State pending the resolution of the impasse and he is making progress.
These are my own independent findings in the interest of information available to the citizenry to avoid harmful rumours and distortion of facts. Anybody with further information or facts disproving any aspect of this report is welcome to avail us of such.
Here is hoping the situation is resolved as soon as possible to ensure that activities return to normal and the current hardship faced directly and indirectly by all is prevented.
Sam Hart, Esq.
Director-General
Abia State Marketing and Quality Management Agency
Fuel Scarcity Why Abia Is Affected – Barr. Sam Hart
