Fuel Scarcity Lingers As DSS 48 Hours Deadline Elapses

Oil marketers are yet to address the fuel Scarcity issue after the ultimatum by DSS.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that despite the 48 hours ultimatum issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and oil marketers by the Department of State Services, DSS, to make the Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, available for Nigerians, the situation has remained the same.

It could be recalled that the country’s secret police had on Thursday, given the NNPC and other stakeholders in the downstream sector 48 hours ultimatum to put an end to the lingering fuel scarcity across the country.

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The DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, who made this known while addressing journalists in Abuja, stated that the ultimatum came after the agency held a closed-door meeting with stakeholders in the oil sector, who agreed to end the scarcity within the stipulated time.

However, oil marketers, on Friday, said the distribution of the product was still problematic but expressed optimism that queues for the product at various filling stations would soon disappear.

Similarly, dealers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria threatened to shut down operations if the NNPCL continued to deny them direct access to it in terms of payment for products.

However, reports revealed that many fuel stations in the nation’s capital and its environs are yet to begin selling the product to customers.

While some NNPC filling stations in the territory seem to have enough product, many stations are still experiencing the usual long queue.

It was gathered that some fuel stations in the satellite areas are selling the product as high as N200 per litre, while stations in the city centre sell between N180 to N190, which is above the official price.