This pain is too much, Nigerians at petrol stations cry out
Scarcity of petrol continues to inflict pains on Nigerians across the country. Our reporters, were at various petrol filling stations to ask Nigerians how the crisis is affecting them. Virtually all of them cried out that the pains inflicted on Nigerians by the scarcity of petrol was becoming unbearable. Some of the views are here:
Salami John, resident, Abuja
Getting fuel here is like the camel passing through the eye of the needle. To get fuel of N5,000, which is about eight litres, is like going through hell. You will spend five hours to get fuel, use it for less than three hours depending on your route and still come back again to queue for another five hours. Isn’t that crazy?
I learnt the President is the Minister of Petroleum. What is he doing about this or is he happy seeing Nigerians in pains? This is not what we asked for. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.
Mustapha Usman, civil servant, Abuja
I have decided to park my car at home and resort to public transport. What I am spending on fuel is out of this world. I cannot cope. Coupled with that, schools just resumed and I have to take care of my family first. Nothing lasts forever. When things normalise, I pray, l will pick it up from where I stopped but for now, my family remains my priority.
Ifeanyi Elvis, cab driver, Abuja
I have been thinking of what to do now since this crisis started about two weeks ago. I have been operating at a loss. I am an Uber driver but the fuel I have been buying has not made up. I stay at Mararaba which is in Nasarawa State but I operate in the city centre and most times I shuttle between the city centre and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and you know the distance. It has not added up for me. Even before the fuel problem, I’m most times away from home because of the distance and imagine now that the fuel problem is here. It has not been easy.
Harrison Sunday, Osogbo
I live here in Osogbo. I am a commercial driver. What we are passing through here is too much. I came here around 3:00 a.m. and this is almost 11:00 a.m. and I’m yet to get fuel to buy. As you can see, my wife just brought my breakfast. We want the government to help us in whatever way they can because the tension is too high now. If the government can make more NNPC outlets available in the states, I think it will ease the burden.
Afolabi Sheriff, motorcyclist, Osogbo
What we are facing before we get petrol at this NNPC filling station is not easy. It is now hard for us to make ends meet because we spend most of our days in the filling station due to the fact that I can’t afford to buy fuel at N1,000 or N1,200 being sold in some other filling stations.
We are appealing to the Federal Government to help us out. I have been here since 4:30 a.m. and it is not even sure I will get fuel. The government should save us from this hardship. Feeding my family has become difficult.
Tajudeen Kareem, commercial driver, Ibadan
This is becoming unbearable. We’ve been out here since early afternoon and we are yet to get fuel. It is night already. Probably, we would spend the night here because only God knows if we would be able to get fuel tomorrow morning if we decide to go home. Wife and children are at home waiting for our return while we are here struggling to get fuel. Transportation price is fixed based on what we buy. No one prays to run a business at a loss.
Olaiya Fatimoh, trader, Ibadan
It is a grievous setback to the nation’s already struggling economy if not urgently addressed. We are spending hours, queuing for fuel while our businesses are being abandoned. For the past two days, I’ve not been able to open my shop since I don’t have anybody to put there. I’ve been here for more than five hours now and I’m yet to get fuel. The queue is not moving at all. The Federal Government should please intervene because we are all tired.