• by IPS Correspondents (lagos)
• Tuesday, December 20, 1994
• Inter Press Service

LAGOS, Dic 20 (IPS) - NIGERIA'S PETROLEUM MINISTER DON ETIEBET TUESDAY ASSURED THE OIL-RICH WEST AFRICAN NATION THE GOVERNMENT WAS STRIVING TO ENSURE ADEQUATE SUPPLIES OF FUEL COUNTRYWIDE.

"THE CURRENT FUEL SCARCITY IS PARTLY CAUSED BY HOARDING BY SOME PETROL DEALERS WHO CLOSED THEIR FILLING STATIONS IN ANTICIPATION OF AN INCREASE IN FUEL PUMP PRICE," SAID THE MINISTER.

THE GOVERNMENT IS DEPENDING ON IMPORTED PRODUCTS TO SERVE THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY SINCE THE WARRI REFINERY -- ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S FOUR REFINERIES -- HAS SOME PROBLEMS, HE SAID.

BUT A MAIN REFINERY IN THE NORTHERN STATE OF KADUNA, WHICH WAS SHUT FOR SOME TIME DUE TO REPAIRS, "HAS RESUMED PRODUCTION AND IS CURRENTLY SUPPLYING 2.8 MILLION LITRES OF FUEL DAILY", ADDED ETIEBET.

THE MINISTER'S ASSURANCE CAME IN THE WAKE OF LONG QUEUES OF CARS AT FUEL STATIONS, SEA OF HEADS AT BUS STOPS AND HIGH FARES DUE TO FUEL SHORTAGE.

CITIZENS WARNED THE GOVERNMENT OF GEN. SANI ABACHA THEY WOULD PARK THEIR CARS IN PROTEST IF THERE WAS ANOTHER INCREASE IN THE FUEL PRICE.

"I AM NOT SURPRISED. IT MAY END UP THE SAME WAY THE GOVERNMENT DID IN OCTOBER WHEN THE PUMP PRICE WAS INCREASED," SAID DEHINDE SOGA, A MEDICAL DOCTOR.

ALL PETROLEUM PRODUCTS WERE HIKED BY MORE THAN 400 PERCENT FROM THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT 23 CENTS TO 50 CENTS.

"THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT INCREASE FUEL PUMP PRICE BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL GO OUT ON THE STREETS TO PROTEST. SALARIES ARE NOT YET INCREASED DESPITE PROMISES, SO HOW DO THEY EXPECT US TO SURVIVE?" SOGA ASKED.

REPORTS FROM THE EASTERN STATES OF ENUGU AND ABIA SAID THE FUEL SHORTAGE WAS SERIOUS IN THE AREA, WHILE IN THE MID-WESTERN REGION OF EDO AND DELTA CAR OWNERS HAD TO QUEUE FOR AT LEAST THREE HOURS BEFORE THEY GOT FUEL.

THE CURRENT SHORTAGE, BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY TWO FIRE OUTBREAKS AT FUEL DEPOTS IN BENIN AND ENUGU AT THE WEEKEND, ALSO AFFECTED THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES OF IBADAN AND OGUN.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

Where next?

Advertisement