There are fears at the weekend that the current fuel scarcity in Lagos and adjourning states may continue into the week as marketers express frustration with disruption to fuel loading at the Lagos ports.
The ongoing hunger protest that began on Thursday had led to a halt in petrol loading at the Lagos depots, as depot owners blame the halt in fuel loading at the ports for the problem that is already causing fuel scarcity.
Reports on Saturday said depot owners refused to open for business over fears of violence.
The scarcity which is pronounced in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, and other states has increased the activities of black marketers pushing the price of petrol to around N1,300 per litre in some areas.
Our correspondent learnt that the depots which were expecting fresh supplies were forced to shut down last week when the commencement of the protest made it difficult for them to load the product over security concerns.
An operator was quoted as saying that members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers were ready to support the depots in loading fuel, but the depot owners refused to take a risk.
“There were no activities at the Lagos depots on Thursday and Friday for two obvious reasons. One, we are still battling the paucity of the product, and two, the security concern on the roads after loading due to the hardship protest.
“NUPENG is ready to support depots to load, but the security situation is a drawback. Hopefully, if the situation improves later today loading may continue tomorrow,” the source stated.
Tanker drivers had earlier been quoted as saying that they would continue to load fuel even during the protest.
The President of the National Association of Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, said in an interview that he had directed members of the association to continue lifting fuel but should be careful.
According to him, NARTO will not partake in the planned protest, nor will it stop its operations.
“NARTO is not part of this planned protest; we don’t support it and will not partake in it. We have told our members to continue the work they are doing. Nobody should park his truck because any drop in business will bring a lot of scarcity and we don’t want to get involved.
“Everybody is scared and this is the time when we should be able to service everybody to ensure fuel is circulated across the country. We have told our people to continue the good work they are doing, they should just be careful,” Othman stated.
He stated that he was unaware that some of the members of the association were not working, stating, “That I don’t know. How were you able to speak to some of them? I am operating. Right now, I have 10 trucks I’m loading. If I’m doing this, other people will follow suit because there is no issue, fuel is going to be continuously circulated. We don’t have any problem. This too will come and go, but we remain in our business.”
Festus Akanbi
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