More hardship as kerosene scarcity worsens •Products sells for N750 per litre in Kano

Scarcity of kerosene is biting harder in Kano State as price of the product and that of its by-products have gone beyond the reach of most residents.

Major filling stations located at Zaria road, Airport, Court, Hadejia roads, were not selling kerosene, but where it was available, a litre sold for between N250 and N300, while four litres, a gallon, ranged from N2,500 to N3,000.

The use of gas an alternative source of energy has risen to N 2,500 from N1,500.

A consumer, Hajia Binta Ibrahim said since the price of both kerosine and gas, she had resorted to using chacoal to cook.

Mr.Ezekiel Iyke, who deals in generators at Yakwa market, also said that because of the high price of both products, he buys a bag of chacoal for his family as an alternative, but now buys it at between N10,000 and 12,000, he now goes for chacoal above kerosene or gas.

Most petrol stations in the states did not have the commodity, a situation that made black marketers to capitalise on the scarcity to jerk up the price.

Four litres of fuel now sells for between N800 and N900.

Benue residents resort to firewood

By Johnson Babajide, Makurdi

Rise in price of kerosene has turned most residents of Benue State to using firewood to cook as kerosene now sells for between N300 and N350 per liter at the filing stations in the state, while at retail outlets, it is  sold for between N350 and N400.

As a result, some of the residents have resorted to using fire wood for cooking, while others use charcoal. But lately, the price of charcoal  has skyrocketed  due to its high patronage.

Petrol price sells for between N142 to N145 per liter, while diesel goes for between N190 and N210 per liter.

Consequent upon the rise in prices and non payment of salaries in the state, most have abandoned their cars and have resorted to taking okada in the state.

Living has therefore become difficult as most of the residents have returned to villages to farm.

Investigations by Sunday Tribune disclosed that most families in the city have sent their kids to their relatives in the villages, while they occassionally travel to villages to farm.

Despite the work free Friday adopted by the state, hardship could be seen on the faces of many, particularly those workers who have resorted to trekking to their places of work everyday.

Black market to the rescue in Enugu

By Jude Ossai – Enugu

IN Enugu metropolis, a litre of fuel is sold at N145, while kerosine is N300 and diesel  at N250 at filling stations.

At Nsukka, Agbani, Udi, Oji-River towns, a litre of fuel and kerosene are also sold at N145 and N300 respectively. But in the “black market,” which dominates most of the rural communities, a litre of fuel is sold at N180 while kerosine is N350.

Mazi Okrofafor Ezego told Sunday Tribune in Enugu that his wife is now using charcoal as a source of energy for cooking as he could not afford gas.

For Mrs Nkechi Chukwu, it is long she had switched over to charcoal, saying that even at N300 a litre for kerosene at major oil marketers, she could not cope with the situation.

According to Madam Chukwu, “nobody will tell me that things are getting worse these days. I can feel the hardship.  Fuel price is high and kerosine the worse. I now use charcoal to cook for my family. How can I cope with a litre of kerosine at N300. Have you talkedw of the high cost of food stuffs?

“Have you not seen that many car owners in Enugu now prefer going to their workplaces and markets in public transport, dropping their vehicles at home?. They have to survive the recession, which is bitting hard. The saving grace is that salaries of civil servants in Enugu State are regular,” another respondent Uchenna Idoko, noted.

Consumers groan in Kwara

By Biola Azeez, Ilorin

Kwara State residents have continued to experience hardship with the high cost of kerosene in most parts of the state as a litre is now sells for between N250 and N300.

While most filling stations in Ilorin were not selling the commodity, queues dotted most stations where the product was available.

Most people spoken with said that they had resulted to cooking with charcoal and wood.

Madam Wasilatu  Abdulsalam of Okekere in Ilorin said she had stopped using kerosene since the price had risen to N260 in her area. “I now use coal pot for cooking. We no longer cook beans with kerosene. The cost of living is quite high. A big bag of coal is N1,400. Three of us bought and shared it among ourselves the last time and it was exhausted in three days.

Olawale Moses, a bachelor, said: “a litre of kerosene is N300 in my area. Though I still cook, I eat in restaurants and buka more often nowadays.”

Transporters and private vehicle owners expressed apprehension and anger over fuel scarcity in the metropolis. Sunday Tribune gathered among motorists that the scarcity was noticed during the week, while the situation became worrisome on Friday evening as many filling stations did not sell fuel to motorists.

Most filling station outlets located along Offa garage road, ASA Dam, Gaa-Akanbi, Tanke, Sango and University of Ilorin Road did not open for business.

While there was no increase in price of petrol, residents appealed to the state government to step into the matter.

A\Ibom residents resort to firewood •As 4 die in kerosene explosions

By Iniobong Ekponta, Uyo

IN Akwa Ibom State, residents been experiencing pains, as the price of kerosene has jumped N300 in some filling stations, and N350 at the black market.

The price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) remains stable at N145 per litre; diesel at N220, while a middle-size cylinder of cooking gas has risen to between N5,500 and N6,000.

In the state, it is no longer the exclusive preserve of the poor to lament harsh situations; the prevailing circumstance has forced the rich to also cry. “Rich people don’t give out again. Even in Churches, offerings and other philanthropic gestures are waning by the day, even at Pentecostal Churches that used to smile to the banks every Sunday. Such magnanimity is not the order of the day again,” Edudiong Usen, told Sunday Tribune.

“Because of the rise in the prices of fuel, kerosene and cooking gas, the prices of food stuffs have also been affected, making people to only save for food until when the situation improves,” Madam Nsibiet Eshiet, a housewife, lamented.

“Since the price of kerosene rose to N350 per litre, we have resorted to using firewood for cooking,” she added.

The hike in price of kerosene has brought, in its wake,  explosions in many homes across the state, leading to the death of no fewer than four persons, while a few others were critically ill in hospitals, including the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), from high degree burns. Worst affected by kerosene explosions in the state include Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Obot Akara, Ibiono Ibom and other Local Government Areas.

Confirming the incident, the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), said no fewer than four persons affected by kerosene explosions recently died at the UUTH.

Sokoto govt to sell petrol to motorists — Official

Sokoto State Government says it plans to commence the sale of one million litres of petrol to motorists weekly to stabilise the fuel supply situation in the state.

The chairman of the State’s Task Force on the supply of petroleum products, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Saturday.

He explained that the action was part of emergency measures deployed by the state government to improve fuel supply situation in the state.

According to Magaji, the  government plans to renew its bulk purchase agreement licence with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in this direction. “Consequently, the government will start the bulk purchase of petrol and sell same to motorists.

“Anytime the state government buys one million litres, it will get nothing less than thirty trucks of petrol.

“The state government has fuel dumps across cities and its environs where it can sell the commodity to the motorists.

“The task force will do everything possible towards ensuring the availability of the product across the state.

Magaji directed petroleum marketers to open their filling stations and sell at the official pump price to motorists.

Fuel supply situation in the state was improving, but some independent marketers were still selling the commodity between N160 and N 175 per litre instead of N145, added the report.