By Ben Adoga, Cross Udo, Ojo Oludamisi and Israel Joel
Hours after the President, Bola Tinubu, announced his intention to remove fuel subsidies, long fuel queues have emerged in all parts of Abuja, Lagos, Edo, Delta, Anambra, and other major cities.
Nigerians have had difficulty getting petrol at filling stations since Monday after President Bola Tinubu announced the government’s plan to put an end to the subsidy regime.
The government said subsidy payment will be scrapped because it is not sustainable.
Fuel marketers responded by closing their stations to create artificial scarcity, while buyers responded by panic buying warranting an increment in pump price sharply.
Commuters were seen in large numbers stranded at bus stops in Abuja, Lagos, Warri, Asaba, Benin, and Akure (Ondo State).
In Abuja, Our correspondent observed that in some filling stations fuel is sold between N600 to N700 per litre.
A Manager of FO Filling Station in Benin City, who sought anonymity, said “We are marketers, we buy and sell. If the price of products goes up, we don’t have to exhaust our old stock before selling at the new price rate because when we go back to buy, we can’t get the stock at the old rate.
“We are not here for morality but for reality and profit. Government has not told us what’s coming next, till then we will adjust accordingly, for now here is where we are.”
From Orozo through Azhata, Gidan Daya, Jikwoyi to Nyanya only four filling stations were open and sold with long queues also causing traffic gridlock as roads blocked to access the filling stations.
On the popular Abuja Kubwa road filling stations were seen selling with long queues.
*Price hits N520 in Edo, Delta other states
Meanwhile, the pump price of petrol has hit between N400 and N500 in Edo and Delta, as long queues yesterday resurfaced in the few filling stations opened for business.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sudden hike in fuel pump prices and long queues followed President Bola Tinubu’s pronouncement removing fuel subsidies at his inauguration as Nigeria’s 16th president on Monday in Abuja.
NAN correspondents, who monitored the fuel situation in Edo and Delta, observed that most filling stations within the Benin metropolis and Asaba Township, refused to open for business, while the few filling stations dispensing fuel sold at prices ranging between N450 and N520 per litre.
In Benin, NAN, however, observed that a few filling stations which included NNPC mega station on the Sapele, Buvel, and ‘Madam 200’, were dispensing the petroleum product for prices ranging between N190 and N200, but with long queues.
The other few independent marketers, seen attending to customers, were selling for between N450 and N500 but also experienced long queues.
A motorist, Mrs Evelyn Boswell, told NAN that she had been to about four filling stations without success.
“I am worried because I need to pick up my children from school. If I can just get five litres, that will be enough to bring them from school. If the situation remains like this, they will have to stay at home until the product is available,” Boswell said.
A motorist, Mr Johnson Ikpe, said, “Nobody cares about the poor people in Nigeria. The scarcity has left us stranded. I can’t even get to my workplace. I am stranded.”
According to him, these filling stations have this product but they are hoarding it. Some of them sold for between N200 and N210 on Monday morning and later sold for between N400 in the evening after the President’s speech.
As a result of the development, commercial bus drivers have increased transport fares by 100 per cent depending on the routes.
In Asaba, Delta, motorists have appealed to the Federal Government to intervene and quickly resolve this emerging artificial fuel scarcity across the states of the federation.
Mr Andy Obi, however, described the removal of fuel subsidy as a good development but noted the timing for the implementation was not good.
”We have not even recovered from the economic hardship occasioned by the impact of the introduction of the new naira notes and now removal of fuel subsidy is being implemented.
”I will appeal to the federal government to intervene in the pain of struggling to get fuel, not just getting but buying it at a very high rate,” he said.
On his part, Mrs Cynthia Eze, said, “I left my home since morning and I have visited about six different filling stations without any success in getting fuel to buy.
”I’m appealing to the government for intervention because it will be disastrous for the masses.”
NAN reports that while most filling stations have refused to open for business, the few filling stations selling fuel, are dispensing at prices ranging from N350 and N500 respectively.
Some of the filling stations currently selling include Total, Rain Oil, Dwell Pet, Marc Merg, Matrix, Mobile, and North-West.
*Plateau Gov, Mutfwang appeals to petrol dealers against exploiting citizens
Following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has appealed to petroleum marketers not to take advantage of the situation to hoard fuel and exploit citizens.
He noted that while the government has taken deliberate steps to ease the hardship and pains of citizens, petroleum marketers should avoid creating unnecessary scarcity and a hike in the prices of the product.
Mutfwang in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Gyang Bere said if the quest to build a new and united Plateau, would be achieved, citizens must take deliberate steps to avoid issues that will further inflict hardship and pains on an already traumatized citizenry.
He said as a government that prioritizes the well-being of its people, actions that tend to impede this goal must be resisted.
Mutfwang appealed to all petrol stations in the state to open their outlets and commence the sales of the product to curtail the artificial scarcity that is being experienced in most parts of the state.
*Oyebanji cautions fuel dealers against hoarding
The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has cautioned filling stations and marketers in the state against hoarding petroleum products following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inaugural speech yesterday.
The Governor urged the marketers to await further directives on the implementation of the planned subsidy removal by the Federal Government and avoid actions that are capable of inflicting hardship on the citizens.
According to the Governor, heavy sanctions await any filling station or marketer found hoarding petroleum products or involved in arbitrary increases in the prices of petroleum products in the state.
Already, governor Oyebanji has invited the leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to a meeting in his office by 4pm today.
The Governor urged the citizens of the state to go about their daily activities peacefully and avoid any rancorous situation.
*It’s a joke taken too far, says Organised Labour
Reacting to the decision of the new administration to announce subsidy removal, Organised Labour described the subsidy removal as a joke taken too far.
President and Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo and Comrade Nuhu Toro, respectively in a statement said the President would have taken his time on the matter.
“While listening to Tinubu’s inaugural address, we were at first encouraged by his pledge to lead as a servant of the people (and not as a ruler) and to always consult and dialogue, especially on key and knotty national issues.
“But we were subsequently taken aback, even horrified, when he announced the withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum products, if, by this, he means increases in pump price and the exploitation of the people by unregulated and exploitative deregulated prices, then it’s a joke taken too far.”
The TUC noted that the President would have applied wisdom in dealing with the issue of subsidy removal.
“We expect the Tinubu government to be wise on such a sensitive issue and be more explicit in its pronouncement to avoid contradictory interpretation when comparing his written statement, what he said, and the provision in the 2023 Appropriation Act.
“We dare say that this is a very delicate issue that touches on the lives, if not very survival, of particularly the working people, hence ought to have been treated with utmost caution.”
They said the new administration should have engaged in robust dialogue and consultations before the removal of the subsidy. This should have been preceded by robust dialogue and consultation with, the representatives of the working people, including professionals, market people, students, and the poor masses.”
Labour, therefore, demanded that “We hereby demand that President Tinubu should tarry awhile to give room for robust dialogue and consultation and stakeholders’ engagement.
“We are also worried that in his speech Tinubu failed to delve into or reveal his plans on how to tackle and address the issue of poor and unchecked deterioration in industrial relations, particularly in the education, health, and judiciary sectors, often resulting in prolonged strike and Industrial actions and their attendant adverse effects on society and the economy. A case in point is the current nationwide strike by JOHESU.
“If there was anything for the administration to hurriedly address from day one in office, it’s the abysmal N30,000 minimum wage that has since been eroded by the problematic monetary and fiscal policies of the government.”
*NLC worried too
On its part, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday expressed displeasure over the pronouncement by President Bola Tinubu that the subsidy is gone without consulting relevant stakeholders and putting in place adequate measures to cushion its effect on workers.
NLC in a statement by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero noted with regret that a few hours after the pronouncement, some marketers shut down their filling states and immediately there was a price hike in some places.
While describing the action as insensitive, the NLC President said it has brought tears and sorrow to millions of Nigerians instead of the renewed hope the administration has promised.
He also said that President Tinubu’s pronouncement has devalued the quality of the lives of Nigerians by over 300 per cent and counting.
The statement read, “We at the Nigeria Labour Congress are outraged by the pronouncement of President Bola Tinubu removing ‘fuel subsidy’ without due consultations with critical stakeholders or without putting in place palliative measures to cushion the harsh effects of the ‘subsidy removal’.
“Within hours of his pronouncement, the nation went into a tailspin due to a combination of service shutdowns and product price hikes, in some places representing over 300 per cent price adjustment.
“By his insensitive decision, President Tinubu on his inauguration day brought tears and sorrow to millions of Nigerians instead of hope. He equally devalued the quality of their lives by over 300 per cent and counting.
“It is no heroism to commit against the people this level of cruelty at any time, let alone on an inauguration day. If he is expecting a medal for taking this decision, he would certainly be disappointed to receive curses for the people of Nigeria consider this decision not only a slight but a big betrayal.
“On our part, we are staunchly opposed to this decision and are demanding an immediate withdrawal of this policy.”
NLC argued that the pronouncement has ripple effects on the economic well-being of the people
He said, “The implications of this decision are grave for our security and well-being. We wonder if President Tinubu gave a thought to why his predecessors in office refused to implement this highly injurious policy decision.”
*Consumer protection agency to monitor compliance, prevent exploitation
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission yesterday said it will ensure that filling stations sell petroleum products in compliance with the law to prevent hardship for Nigerians.
The commission made this known in a statement to its Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Babatunde Irukera.
Irukera said that the commission has identified a “significant and potentially inexplicable emerging increase and lengthening of wait times in procuring fuel at filling stations in certain locations across the country.”
The emerging hardship on motorists and other consumers, the statement said, invariably impedes commerce, and traffic and presents other difficulties, unintended consequences, and financial constraints for citizens.
The Commission said it is in engagement with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA); the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); and the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN).
“The outcome of these engagements between the top-level Executives of the Commission and these other relevant entities, as well as key operatives, demonstrates that there is no operational basis or sufficiently diminished/acute reduction in product availability at both supply and retail points in the value chain to justify the hardship and constraints otherwise emerging,” the statement said.
The statement stated that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 (FCCPA) prohibits deceptive or unconscionable business practices; obnoxious practices or unscrupulous exploitation of consumers by companies, trade associations, and even individuals; and any mutual understanding or decisions with a purpose or effect that prevents, restricts or distorts competition, specifically, and particularly including price-fixing or limiting distribution or supply.
*We must get rid of it or it’ll consume us- Shettima
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, yesterday said the Bola Tinubu-led administration anticipated that there would be fierce opposition to its decision to remove fuel subsidy.
Shettima also said that there was a pressing need to be resolute in achieving the objective.
Speaking to journalists on his first day in office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Vice President said Nigeria needs to get rid of fuel subsidies, otherwise, the subsidy would get rid of the Nigerian nation.
He contended that the subsidy regime has not benefited the ordinary Nigerian, but has been subsidising the lifestyle of the already affluent, assuring that despite the expected opposition from beneficiaries of the subsidy regime, President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a man of strong will and conviction, would frontally address the menace.
According to him, “The President has already made pronouncements yesterday on the issue of the fuel subsidy. The truth of the matter is that it is either we get rid of the subsidy or the fuel subsidy gets rid of the Nigerian nation.
“In 2022, we spent $10bn subsidising the ostentatious lifestyle of the upper class of the society because you and I benefit 90 per cent from the oil subsidy. The poor 40 per cent of Nigerians benefit very little and we know the consequences of unveiling a masquerade.
“We will get fierce opposition from those benefitting from the oil subsidy scam, but where there is a will, there is a way. Be rest assured that our President is a man of strong will and conviction.
“In the fullness of time, you will appreciate his noble intentions for the nation. The issue of fuel subsidy will be frontally addressed. The earlier we do so, the better”, he said.
Addressing the issue of multiple foreign currency exchange rates, Shettima said “We are going to collapse it into one. So these are two big elephants in the room and as the days go by, we will be unveiling our agenda. He is going to unveil his agenda because as I have always said, there can never be two captains on a ship”.
“He is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. I’m the Vice President. Your relevance is directly proportional to the level of your loyalty to the President. This is a gentleman that I have known for well over a decade; that I have interacted closely. Be rest assured that we are going to work harmoniously as a team, as a family for the greater good of our nation”, he said.
He said President Tinubu is poised to redefine the meaning of modern governance, saying he will provide the needed leadership, but also requested Nigerians to give him and his administration the needed support.
“I believe this generation has a rendezvous with destiny and my principal, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is poised to redefine the meaning and concept of modern governance.
“I want to assure Nigerians that he is going to provide the lead. He is going to provide the leadership and we will rally around him, give him our unequivocally support and loyalty to see to the realization of the Nigerian dream—a Nigeria where every black man in the world should be proud of.
“Power to me is a humbling experience. It’s all about how we can make life better for the common man. So, I want to assure our countrymen that President Bola Tinubu will, by the grace of God, catapult this nation to a higher pedestal. He is determined; he has the skills-set, he has the temperament, the disposition, and the purity of mind and commitment to give service to this nation,” he said.
