Fuel Scarcity Bites Harder, Civil Servants, others stranded

Frustrations has written bold on faces of civil servants and residents as fuel scarcity has persisted in the Federal Capital Territory,  FCT.

As at 6pm yesterday hours after close of work, civil servants of the Federal  Civil Service were seen in their numbers waiting for vehicles that will take them home to no avail.

The bustle and jostle that follows the arrival of any vehicle is better imagined than said. For this, many chose to trek long distances just to beat the shovea from different angles

Grid lock caused by queues at the filling stations have also not made life easy as commuters cramped in vehicles are made to travel many hours on a journey that would have ended in minutes.

Even though filling stations claim not to sell fuel in jerry cans, black marketers are seen all over the selling at cut throat prices most of them in front of fuel stations.

Miss Chekwube Mobi who was visibly sad, said she came to buy fuel for her generator but was turned back when it got to her turn because the attendant asked her to bring the generator as they do not sell in cans.

She wondered how she will carry a big generator and join the long queue especially without a car and asked government to stop black marketers as they are the problem of consumers like herself.

For another commuter, Mr. Aaron Babajide, the stress of getting fuel is too much which is why drivers have decided to hike transportation fare.

He said the filling stations are making things hard for the masses intentionally as they limit their sale points to 2 or 3 pumps even though they have up to 32 pumps.

A black marketer, Jide Osun,  Who said he is a bike rider, said he gets his fuel using his bike. According to him, he gets the attendants to fill his tank, he will then, remove it and sell it triple the price.

Jide, said it is now more lucrative to sell fuel than to ride bike which according to him is greater labour with smaller gain.