By  EBUN SESSOU
Although normalcy is gradually returning to some filling stations in Lagos and in other states, but the fuel scarcity that hits the country has continued to send conflicting signal into the consciousness of the people.

Is it a delibrate attempt by government to increase the price? Has government completely removed subsidy or the Marketers are holding Nigerians to ransom? All of these run through the minds of motorists and consumers of the products.

The problem has unduly influenced the price of the product in most part of the country forcing motorists to buy from black market for as much as N150 per litre as against the official price of N97.

Saturday Vanguard findings revealed that some filling stations have continued to hoard fuel. At Ibeju-Lekki, Victoria Island, Lagos Island we gathered that  some filling stations  refused to sell fuel  leaving Lagosians at the mercies of black marketers operators just as others claimed non-availability of the product.

As usual, major highways and streets have become selling points for black marketers who were visibly sighted with kegs, beckoning on motorists to stop by and buy. They are found at every available bus-stops selling the product at their own desired rates.

But where did they get the product from? There are insinuations that most of the black marketers are working hand-in-hand with some of the petroleum attendants.

In some states, the scarcity has led to price hike against the official rate of N97 per litre. While in Lagos and Abuja, the long queues at some fuel stations tell the story better.

A Petroleum Engineer, Martin Onovo,  blamed the cause of the current fuel crisis on the  gap in imported supply that generated from the subsidy scam of over N1 trillion, ongoing investigations, dispute with Marketers and  damaged to NNPC distribution  infrastructure   by vandals.

Asked if there would be likely increase in the pump price in future, he said, “There is no justification for an increase in price.

The existing domestic refining capacity of over 41 million litres a day is sufficient if operated at maximum capacity and the cost of domestic supply is N38.50/litre. In Venezuela, our fellow OPEC member, the cost is only 3cents/litre which translates into N4.80 a litre. The current price of N97/litre is too high because of importation costs. There should not be an increase in price. What we need is an increase in domestic refining.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has urged the Federal Government to call on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Petroleum Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC) to effect the repairs of the vandalised pipeline at Arepo, in Ogun State, to ease the scarcity being experienced in Lagos.

Tokunbo Korodo, Lagos zonal chairman of NUPENG, who made the call last Monday, said the tank farms in Lagos were drying up as a result of the disagreement between the Federal Government and petroleum products marketers who are not importing enough owing to the debt being owed them by the government.