Calabar residents decry scarcity, high cost of petrol

Some residents of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, have raised the alarm over the high cost of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, describing it as highly worrisome.

The residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, also expressed worries that the product was scarce even when being sold at between N880 and N950 per litre.

A NAN check around some fuelling stations in the city showed long queues of vehicles and people waiting to buy petrol.

NAN reports that some motorists arrived at the NNPC station in Stadium Junction as early as 3.00a.m to queue up and wait for sales to begin.

Speaking to NAN, Mr Johnson Effiong, a motorist, expressed worries that petrol was not being sold to customers even when the station got supplies on Monday.

“We saw petrol being discharged on Monday, based on this, I came here at about 3.00a.m to queue up, but they have yet to commence sales.

“The pump attendants are here but they are not dispensing products to customers. We do not know their reason,” he said.

Another motorist, Daniel Uwem, expressed concerns that it was difficult to see the product event with the high cost at which it was sold.

“We don’t know what to complain about anymore, the price of petrol is high, and it is difficult to find stations that are open and selling freely.

“When they decide to sell, they sell for a few hours and tell you that the product is finished, it is so painful,” he said.

Mr Matthew Archibong, a mini bus driver, said that he spent several hours at a fuelling station along the Murtala Mohammed Highway before the station manager announced that petrol would not be sold.

“On hearing that, I left that place to queue up at the NNPC fuel station around Stadium Junction. It is sad to also see that they are not selling,” he said.