Long lines resumed on Wednesday in Port Harcourt and its surrounds, following the withdrawal of services by petrol tanker drivers in protest of incessant harassment by security officers.
The situation prompted an acute fuel shortage in the state, around five months after the statewide shortages caused by the Federal Government’s importation of contaminated gasoline.
Our correspondent observed that most filling stations along Aba Road, Ikwerre Road, and Airport Road were closed, while a few outlets offered the product for between N250 and N280 per litre.
Due to the scarcity, transport costs within the city jumped by 50%, with commercial drivers charging N150 for distances previously charged at N100.
“I was astonished to buy fuel this morning at N280 since I wanted to travel with my family,” said Prince Chima, a motorist. It’s tough to predict what this country will become.”
Ibuchi, a student at Rivers State University, also spoke up, saying, “I didn’t go to school on Tuesday.” But today (Wednesday), instead of the normal N150, I paid N200 from Waterlines to my school. The motorist stated that he purchased fuel for N180 per litre.”
Meanwhile, it was learned that the product was scarce due to the refusal of Petrol Tanker Drivers, PTD, a branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, to load products at the depot in protest of constant harassment by security officers.
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Alex Agwangwor, the National Treasurer of NUPENG, stated that petrol tanker drivers would not resume operations unless security agents stopped harassing them.
According to Agwangwor, NUPENG asked PTD to withdraw their services because unidentified individuals in the company of armed security officers continued to extort money from tanker drivers at the depot.
“The difficulty we have in the state presently as a union is that tanker drivers, under the PTD branch of NUPENG, are routinely hounded by security officers,” he stated.
“In certain cases, tanker drivers are detained on trumped-up accusations, and their products are taken from them forcibly.”
“We have written to all security agencies involved, including the Rivers State Government, but we simply cannot continue to serve the state when our colleagues’ lives are at danger.”
“I don’t think we’ll continue to load products in Rivers State unless this issue is rectified.”
Culled from Punch
