By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—The lingering fuel scarcity, which hit parts of Imo State in the past   worsened yesterday as most filling stations said they had run out of premium motor spirit, PMS.

File Photo: Fuel Scarcity in Imo

When Vanguard visited Owerri Municipality, Owerri North, Aboh Mbaise, Obowo, Ihitte Uboma, Ehime Mbano and Isiala Mbano Local Government Areas, yesterday, some of the filling stations that had PMS to dispense, forced their customers to part with between N110 and N120 per litre.

Although none of the major marketing companies had PMS for sale, people were seen struggling frantically to buy the product, despite the staggering pump price. At the Temple filling station on World Bank Road, Owerri, a young female pump attendant that refused to give her name snubbed and refused selling the product to Vanguard Correspondent.

It was a shouting match for motorists at St. Cosi filling station, Egbu, Owerri North local council area, as they struggled to get to the pump, despite the N110 per litre selling price. Some of the aggrieved citizens, who spoke to Vanguard at the various filling stations, not only complained bitterly about the pump price, but also the scarcity that had hit the state.

Mazi Ike Onye for his part, said: “It is most shocking that the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, is a shouting distance away from Temple filling station, but have seen nothing, heard nothing, smelt nothing and did nothing about the high pump price slammed on people.”

Onye passionately appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to not only restore the commodity in all filling stations, but also ensure that marketers respect the pump price fixed by the government. A house wife, who simply identified herself as Ijeoma, lamented that the price of kerosene had sadly gone out of the reach of peasants.

“Our case is made worse here in Imo State, following the non-payment of workers’ salaries. Pensioners are also being owed several months.  I do not know how we can cope with the situation,” Ijeoma lamented.