Drivers in Katsina State claim that the extreme scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, is having a negative impact on their companies.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) said that the problem was caused by flooding that shut down key roads leading to the country’s northern regions. This caused the shipment of the product to be delayed.
Alhaji Bashir Danmalam, the IPMAN Chairman for Northern Nigeria, said in a statement that products should soon be available in Abuja and other regions of the nation thanks to trucks carrying the goods.
Therefore, the statement advised Nigerians to practice patience while efforts to restore regular supply across the nation were stepped up.
Only the NNPC Mega stations on Kano Road and Jibiya Road sell the product at the authorized price; other locations start at N185 and above.
Long lines at the gas stations kept drivers there all night or for several hours before they could refuel their vehicles.
With the exception of a few outlets selling the product at exorbitant prices while there were long lines, the majority of gas stations in the state capital were still closed.
Depending on the region, other filling stations outside of the state capital sold the product for N240 per litre and higher.
Black marketers were given the chance to have a field day as a four-litre gallon of gasoline cost N2,000 or more even in Katsina city.
A motorist named Malam Aliyu Mustapha lamented how the predicament had impacted the socioeconomic activities in the state.
Therefore, Mustapha pleaded with the government and pertinent authorities to swiftly take action to solve the issue.
Alhaji Tukur Abdullahi claimed that the issue led him to park his car because he could not afford to buy fuel at a price of more than N2,000 per four liters.
“Whenever there is such problem, masses are at the receiving end; it is not that most of these filling stations don’t have petroleum in their stock.
“Some of the marketers are using the situation to maximise profit at the detriment of the masses, which is very unfortunate.
“Government should sanction such filling stations found wanting, to serve as deterrent to others,” he said.
